The Video
by NaluPrincess
Summary: When a video is leaked out of Lucy Heartfilia doing something scandalous, her reputation is ruined and she becomes the local school whore. All her friends are gone, and who does she have to turn to other than the very same boy she hated? -Nalu
1. The Video

_"Is it on? Is the camera recording?... Okay..."_

 _Dear mom,_

 _At my new school Fairy Tail, I believe that something terrible may have happened._

 _And thus I have to tell you logically,_

 _yesterday, marks the beginning of the end of my life._

 _It all started off as a normal day in school. I was running late for history with Mr. Justine. As usual, many girls and boys hailed me in the hallway and as usual I tried to hail them all back as best as I can..._

"Ow!" Lucy cried as she bumped her head on something hard and fell, dropping her bag with her books in it in the process.

"Lu-chan! Are you okay?" Her petite, best friend Levy cried, dropping to the floor, helping her pick up her belongings.

The blonde looked up at his annoying grin, mocking smile, and pink hair.

Her face contorted into a scowl.

Natsu Dragneel.

Local school heartthrob and football team quarterback, not to mention the most popular guy in school. Yes, Natsu was in fact very popular. Yes, he may have been mischevious, and got in trouble alot, but his looks more than sufficiently made up for it.

He's been pulling stuff like this on her, since she first transferred to this school. Subtly tripping her over so he could catch her as she fell, "coincidentally" walking in the direction of her classes in between classes and chatting her up lunch hour. Nothing he did however, changes her opinion of him.

"Hey blondie, you're a real clumsy one. Aren't ya?" He said, hovering over her with an arm extended as a gesture to help her up. His face was smug and flirty, and it annoyed her to no end.

She slapped his hand away. A group of freshman girls walking by gasped appallingly.

"Kiss my ass, ass hole." She said and she stormed off in the direction of her class with Levy trailing behind.

"Lu-chan, wait!"

As she walked in the distance she heard him say, "Why yes, I'd love to kiss your ass beautiful."

"He's outdone himself today," she said to her best friend "That's the third he's 'bumped' into me and tried to flirt. Like I'd ever go out with a fuck boy like him."

"Calm down Lu-chan," Levy said level-headed like. She's always been the more calm, resourceful and logical one of the two. "He doesn't do that with every girl. In fact, I've only ever seen him do that with you."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

And she had that same attitude walking into Mr. Justine 's noisy history class. She and that girl with the short white hair exchanged 'looks' as they do, every time Lucy caught up with Natsu in the halls. Today, there was malicious intent in Lisanna's eyes. Lucy was slightly unsettled by it but brushed it off as the girls obvious jealousy.

 _There was something strange in the air, I could just feel it._

 _Like something bad was about to happen_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

.

.

.

 _I probably should have listened_.

On that day, was a holiday known as 'Ancestral Appreciation Day' so to celebrate, last period instead of class, Fairy Tail had a general assembly. As the assembly was about to begin, a few more late coming students trickled in, including Natsu and his squad. When Natsu caught sight of Lucy staring at him he winked at her. Lisanna noticed this and gave her a death glare. Lucy groaned.

"I hate fuck boys. C'mon Levy, let's pay attention to the student council president." The blonde said and turned her attention to Erza Scarlet.

 _I'm actually not quite sure when this happened, but at some point during Erza's speech, Levy and Natsu switched seats._

 _It was a bit awkward, putting our circumstances into consideration, but he and I actually managed to have a sensible conversation. I think._

Groaning Lucy turned to Natsu. " What is your problem Dragneel? Why do you keep messing with me?"

He gave the most cliché answer. "Because I find you 'interesting'. You are literally the first girl that's come to this school, and not become weak in the knees at the sight of me. It's interesting."

"Back it up, Romeo. Don't you have a girlfriend? And you wonder why I can't stand you."

"Girlfriend?" He said confused, "I don't have a girlfriend Blondie."

Lucy massaged her temples in annoyance. "It's _Lucy,_ and yes, you do. That girl with the white hair who's name escapes me at the moment."

He stared at her dumbfounded for a moment. Then he let out a boyish chuckle. Lucy would never admit it to him, but she found that laugh to be extremely adorable.

"You're so weird Luigi. _'That girl who's name escapes me at the moment',"_ He said mockingly, "Like you don't know the name of everyone who goes to this school. I've seen you around in the halls and you're very popular here, which means you have a lot of friends and that makes me happy. You could always find those here at Fairy Tail."

He gave her this big toothy grin. She blushed slightly.

"W-Well, I, um," she cleared her throat regaining her composure. "It's still Lucy."

 _Just then, there was a burst of applause as one of the Student council members finished a speech, and my attention was taken off of him for now._

 _Principal Makarov came up and started going on and on about the ancestors of Fairy Tail, and blah, blah, blah._

 _Nobody was listening really._

 _Suddenly he asked tech boy to play the slide show he prepared for us._

 _But something else happened._

 _A video began to play, in the screen, it was dark and it was hard to see, but there was a person._

 _There were confused murmurs in the crowd. The principal was hit by the unexpected._

 _Everyone was lost._

 _In the video, the figure goes to what looks like a bed._

 _From the small flicker of moonlight that shone in the room, you could have seen the person was a girl._

 _The bed in the video looked eeringly familiar to me too, but it didn't seem to click._

 _By the type of video this was, and the angle of the camera, you could tell the person did not know she was being recorded._

 _Suddenly, the girls hand slid into her pants._

 _Her arm started to jerk up and down, her body made erratic movements on the bed._

 _There were loud outbursts from the crowd. The people in the media room were working feverishly to stop what was going on._

 _Soon everyone started wondering, "Who's the girl in the video?"_

 _A boy in the audience yelled for silence._

 _As soon as the crowd settled down a bit, they heard a noise from the recording._

 _At first it sounded like a moan._

 _Gradually the girls volume got louder until everyone could hear the name she was screaming._

 _" Natsu! Natsu! "_

 _She cried._

 _Natsu's cheeks flared red on the side of me as the whole school looked at him._

 _I didn't want to be the odd man out,_

 _So I looked too._

 _Soon, the girl climaxed._

 _The battery life of the camera began blinking at the bottom right corner of the screen._

 _The moon beamed fully through her window._

 _Sweaty and breathless, she rolled over off her stomach and onto her back._

 _As soon as she did that, the whole school recognized who it was before I could comprehend._

 _The girl lying on the bed in that video,_

 _Was me._


	2. Aftershock

Aftershock

Lucy's rash cough echoed throughout the room. The maid, Ms. Sphetto, took the thermometer out of her mouth.

"Do you think you'd be able to make school in the morning?" She asked.

The blonde shook her head.

"I figured as much," she shook her head in great distress. This woman really did care for Lucy. "The doctor's been here three times and couldn't find out what was wrong with you, but it's obvious that you're sick. Oh Lucy, your father trusted me to take care of you while he was away on his business trip. I hope something doesn't happen to you, as so, with your mother."

She then left the room.

Making sure the woman was gone and out of earshot, Lucy got out the bed and silently, stealthily, closed the door. She jumped back on the bed, face first into her pillow and groaned. Reaching under her pillow she grabbed for her phone, typed in the password and finally, after two weeks of avoiding it, logged on her social media.

It was atrocious. Her Facebook newsfeed, was full of statuses and reactions of people talking about her video. Very vulgar and obscene language was repeatedly used, along with words such as 'whore', 'slut', 'hoe', 'bitch', 'stuckup' etc. They were running her one name through the mud. She checked her notifications teary eyed, as she was tagged in many posts and read all the terrible things they said. She quickly deactivated her Facebook account.

She was so ashamed. She hadn't set foot out her house in weeks because of the terrible backlash and ridicule she knew she would receive. Who would do such a terrible thing? Someone who hated her that's who. And what about the students of Fairy Tail? How could they turn so quickly? How could they all be so cruel?

 _I've seen you around in the halls and you're very popular here, which means you have a lot of friends and that makes me happy. You could always find those here at Fairy Tail_.

Liar.

She flinched at the thought of him. Natsu Dragneel and his cute grin. Then as if on cue...

"Lucy?"

She looked up and out of the window and screamed.

"Natsu! Oh my goodness!" She panicked, scrambling up and out of her bed. "What the- How are you- How long- Why-"

"Calm down blondie," He said, hopping off the tree limb he was on, that's located in front of Lucy's window.

Finally, calming down her heart and leveling out her breathing, she was able to spit out a complete sentence.

"Natsu Dragneel, why are you in my windowsill?"

"Well blondie if you must know," He promoted himself from the frame of her window to the inside of her room.

"I came to check up on ya." He gave her a large toothy grin. She cringed. It was the grin he gave her that day...

"I was starting to think you were never coming back."

She gave him a dangerous look and he flinched at her sudden animosity.

"I'm _not_ coming back! I'm _never_ coming back! You know that!"

"Aw c'mon Lucy, you're exaggerating, it's been almost a month. Nobody talks about it anymore."

Her Twitter and Instagram accounts begged to differ.

"Anyway Natsu, how did you even find me? I live a mile and a half from school, in a mansion, in the woods, in the middle of scenic _nowhere!"_

That was another thing Lucy was grateful for. Well, apart from her father currently being away on a business trip, the school didn't know her real adress and that her last name was actually 'Heartfilia' as she's registered in the school as 'Lucy Ashley'. That's what everyone knows her as. Shoots, if they found out that she was actually the daughter of a multimillionaire, things would either be a thousand times better, or a thousand times worse. She was betting on the latter.

 _"..."_

Natsu didn't answer her.

" Natsu... don't tell me you... OMFG! You're a _stalker!"_

"Quiet woman, don't make me sound like I'm crazy!"

 _"... Sorry."_

"It's just, I was seriously worried," He was closing the distance between them quickly, with Lucy backed against the wall, he grabbed her wrists.

"Crazy thoughts rang throughout my mind, ' _maybe she was cutting her wrists Natsu, or maybe she tried to commit suicide..._ "

Blushing, the blonde yanked away her hands. She noted how the atmosphere around them, became increasingly heavy. Well f-boys can do that, she thought.

"I'm not crazy Natsu."

" _Or maybe she was crying in her room alone, not talking to anyone, not telling anyone what's wrong_."

Her breath hitched. Her mind returned to just moments before he came.

"Look Lucy, I really want you to come school tomorrow, it's not the same without you there," He grinned, "And if you're scared, remember me, I'm a friendly face."

And with that, he hopped out the window of her three story bedroom

Lucy slid down the wall slowly until she was on her knees. Her hand was on her chest. She tried to calm her heart and her mind.

"He probably thinks I'm easy, now that he's seen the video." She said unconvincingly to herself, " This is all just a fuckboy act. And I'm not falling for it."

* * *

Tuesday morning was chilly and brisk. Many dead leaves were flying everywhere, people had scarves on. On a bench, in the corner of the courtyard sat a group of friends. Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Loke Celestia, Gajeel Redfox, Lissana Strauss, Juvia Lockser, and Cana Alberona. Also today Erza actually wasn't busy for once and she was actually sitting with her friends. Along with Mira and her brother, along with... Levy.

" Hey Natsu, where were you yesterday?" Lisanna asked

"I had someone important to visit."

"Who? Was she a girl? Was she pretty?"

"Don't worry about it."

Lisanna huffed in annoyance. The way she always did when she didn't get what she wanted. Mira recognized it immediately and chuckled.

"Yeah Lisanna you should probably forget about it," Gray piped in, "After all he's probably so stupid he doesn't even remember."

"What was that, popsicle dick?" Natsu spat dangerously, already head to head with Gray.

"My, my so early in the morning with these two," Loke said

"Why don't you just shut up!-"

Natsu was silenced by the bell ringing.

"Well, that ended before it even got started," Said Gajeel. Levy, who was sitting next to Lisanna and Juvia, snickered.

"C'mon everyone let's head to homeroom," said Erza, choraling everyone out of their seats.

As everyone got up and started walking with their favorite person, Lisanna tried to fall in step with Natsu. When Natsu looked down and noticed this, he kindly gestured she should walk with her siblings instead, and headed for the boys bathroom. Getting angry again, Lisanna fell in step with Juvia who was talking to Gray and yanked her away.

"Lissana! Juvia was just having an important life or death conversation with Gray-sama!"

"I don't care! Juvia you're my best friend aren't you? We need to talk."

Falling behind the rest of the group, Lisanna clung to Juvia's arm until she could no longer see Gray.

"Juvia thinks this better be important."

"It is! Juvia even with blonde 'n' busty gone, I still can't seem to get any closer to Natsu. And I miss him Juvia. I miss us."

Juvia glanced back up at Gray's quickly disappearing figure. Lisanna just couldn't seem to understand that Juvia was in a hurry.

"Well, if that's all you have to say, Juvia thinks you're not trying hard enough, after all, it took Juvia all four of the evers to get Gray-Sama to finally notice her apart from his fangirls. Now if you'll excuse me, GRAY-SAMA! WAIT UP FOR JUVIA PLEASE!"

* * *

"O! M! G! That slut is back!"

"Really? Where?"

"She found the balls to come back to school, eh!"

"The bitch got what she deserved, treating poor Natsu like that all the time, when he's only trying to be nice."

"Yo blondie! I wouldn't mind it if you did me next! And if you record it doesn't matter to me either!"

"You're a, you're a, you're a stupid ho!"

"Stupid ho!"

"Hey guys watch this, **BITCH NOBODY LIKES YOU ANYMORE!"**

There was a roar of laughter in the hallway.

Lucy, head hung low, walked steadily in a hurried pace to homeroom, and tried not to bring attention to herself.

She'd say she's done a terrible job so far. Like, a terrible, terrible job at it.

She steeled herself not to cry. Sure what they were saying was mean and uncouth, but she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh, uh, uh _Natsu!"_

There was another cry of laughter. The boy continued.

 _"Take me Natsu, take me!"_

More fits of laughter. She felt the liquid pooling in her eyes. Thankfully for her, she reached her destination.

 _Bam!_

Lucy slammed the door to her homeroom open and practically flew inside, closing the door quickly behind her,

She _needed_ to get of there.

Not that inside the classroom was any better.

There were mean and judgemental eyes staring at her from every angle. Whispers immediately began flying around the room.

Lucy's heart clenched with fear, she felt like she was in a tiny room, and she was claustrophobic. She took a step backwards.

She could _not_ do this.

 _Remember me, I'm a friendly face._

She looked over at Natsu who sported the happiest, goofiest grin she ever saw.

And for a second, she forgot the situation she was in and allowed herself to giggle.

He gestured for the seat by the window, that was right next to him. She quickly scuttled over.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Somehow after surviving four classes that day, lunch time rolled around agonizingly slowly. Of course this was due to being picked on during classes, have spitballs shot at her every other second, (which is by the way, totally nasty) having almost tripped on someone's leg twice, and- oh, suprise, suprise the table she sat and ate lunch with Levy with was flipped over.

Speaking of Levy, Lucy realized Levy was actually avoiding her that day and when she tried to find her to talk to her blunnette shied away from her behind, Juvia and Lisanna.

Great, she was such a loser, her best friend didn't even want to be seen with her anymore.

After she got her lunch, Lucy went up to the rooftop to eat. After all, she didn't have a place to sit at in the cafeteria anymore.

Vegetarian meatloaf, (go figure) with obviously store-bought mixed vegetables with prune juice, never looked so appetizing to Lucy before. Oddly, it was in that moment when she realized how much life was sucking for her.

And her dad returned home already. Fun...

But seriously first her mom dies, then her father becomes a monster and now this.

She could feel the tears pool into the corner of her eyes.

Why was she trying to make herself cry?

"Hey, Lucy."

It was Natsu.

Lucy didn't answer.

Natsu opened his mouth to say something else but dropped it immediately. Instead, in the blink of an eye he wrapped his arms around Lucy in a hug.

At first, Lucy was shocked, her cheeks were dusted red and as she stared, at what she finally comes to the conclusion, is a sociopath.

"Natsu, what's wrong with you?! You're acting like a crazy person!" She said, still blushing, but trying to shove him off of her.

"Don't be sad, Lucy. Cuz daddy Natsu's here to make it all better!"

"Stop it Natsu! You sound like a pedophile!"

So yeah. Basically the rest of lunchtime went by like that.

* * *

"Yeah, so that's how I got this tattoo," Natsu said, rolling up his sleeve so the blonde could see. "But I sure as heck paid the price for it later."

The blonde chuckled.

Another miracle!

The bell had rung, signifying the end of lunch break and the start of lunchtime registration. Natsu offered to walk her to class, and while doing so, regaled her of tales about how he got his first tattoo, or about his favorite blue cat at home etc.

Lucy had done something with Natsu that she hadn't been able to do all day. Relax.

She also noticed something. On the walk from the rooftop to the class, she wasn't bullied. Nope, not once. No name-calling, no blatant whispering about her, no leg to trip on, not even a dirty glance. Miracle? Maybe so, but Lucy realized she was walking with Mr. Popularity whom the student body loved and respected, apparently far more than they hated her. Which was saying something.

"Thanks Natsu, you could go to class now I have to use the bathroom."

He was hesitant at first, but then the late bell rang. He smiled as he went to homeroom.

Left, then right, then left again.

This was Lucy's look pattern to make sure no one was in the bathroom. Thankfully no one was.

At least that's what she thought.

"Close the door girls," someone said.

Uh-oh.

"What do you want?" Lucy asks defensively.

Suddenly out of the stalls, came three girls.

One had long, pretty orange hair, the other one had brown, curly, shoulder length hair, and the last one had long silver hair. Even with the odd hair colors, the three of them looked menacing.

"My name is Jenny, this is Penny and Kenny. We are the president's of the official Natsu Dragneel fan club!"

Annoying fangirls? Joy.

"Umm, good for you. Now if you'll excuse me I have to head back to class-"

She was cut off when the girl in the middle with the orange hair, Jenny, knocked her off her feet. Penny locked the door while Kenny closed the windows.

These girls wanted a fight.

And Lucy sure as hell was gonna give them one. But three on one?

Seems pretty fair.

Lucy kicked Jenny hard in her thighs, then all at once, the three of them pounced on top of Lucy as they began kicking and punching and throwing her around. Eventually, the noise drew in a crowd from the outside who were cheering on the Jenny's.

Lucy body began to feel numb and all she could see was blood.

When they were done, Jenny gave her one last kick in the back for good measure, then left her with these words.

"Stay away from Natsu."

They unlocked the door and opened it being greeted by cheers and praise.

Lucy rolled over in agony. The world was spinning and was all blurred out. When she closed her eyes and opened them again she was met face to face with Natsu.

As she tried to speak, blood sputtered out, so Natsu hushed her by holding her in his arms.

"Lucy, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

"For what?" She rasped out.

"For following you home, for convincing you to come to school, for leaving you alone just now. For everythjng."

She found her voice.

She thought about everything that happened that lead up to that moment. She built up all her pent emotions, and let everything out in a single cry.

And she cried.

And she cried.

Even when the bell rang for dismissal she was still crying.

But it was okay.

Because something told her, her tears were safe with Natsu.

 _She_ was safe with Natsu and always will be.

* * *

 **I love working on this story because people actually review my work instead of just telling me to update all the time.**


	3. Definitely a Failsave

The Difference between Friendships and Failsaves

"You're a hog ash head, you know that?" Said Gray, looking at his best friend in distaste.

 _"Shaddup, popsicle dick!_ " He said with a mouth full of food. It was early Wednesday morning, and since he knew her adress, Natsu had decided to walk Lucy to school, using the knowledge of her adress to his full advantage. Her father didn't care either However, getting such an early start that morning had proved disadvantageous as he missed out on breakfast. But in light of seeing how famished he was, Lucy had decided to give him her breakfast.

The blonde sat quietly on the bench next to Natsu. To be honest, she was a little nervous about sitting across from Gray. After all, he was Natsu's best friend and secretly she worried he might have thought she was a leech/slut just like the rest of the student body.

"Why are you here anyways Ice prick?" The pinkette said. "Me and Lucy were doing just fine on our own."

Lucy looked at the bench where all of Natsu's friends were sitting, some of them glancing back at her and Natsu at their little table in the far end of the courtyard. She looked away embarrased. When the duo arrived at school, always eager and hyperactive Natsu was ready to sit by his friends with the blonde. However uncharacteristically enough, he took her feelings into consideration and decided it would be best to sit away from people for now.

"I'm not even gonna answer that, idiot," was the last thing Gray said before Natsu socked him good in the face.

Lucy put her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god Natsu!"

Then Gray retaliating with vengeance, kicked Natsu back in his jaw sending him flying.

"Ah Gray, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Lucy shouted panicking, "Violence isn't the key!"

Natsu, seemingly unhurt, sadistically smiled and fixed his jaw, then cracked his knuckles, then rolled his neck.

"Let's go freezer burn," said Natsu and just like that they were in an all out brawl.

Lucy looked as if she were ready to faint, while in a fruitless attempt, tried to get them to stop.

People were starting to look on because of all the noise. She saw spurts of blood, and just before Lucy was about to fall into cardiac arrest, someone called her.

"Lucy Ashley," the voice blonde turned around to be face to face with a very serious faced, uniformed, student council president. Lucy shrank alittle. The rumors didn't do her justice, Erza Scarlet was much more scarier in person than the rumors claimed.

"Please, come with me," she said.

She looked back at a fighting Natsu.

"But Natsu-"

"It's okay, they do that all the time."

"But what if he-"

"He'll live."

"Yes but I said-"

"He'll understand. It's official student business."

Lucy was starting to notice a pattern.

"Do you really want to stay here anyways?" Titania continued, "His friends are coming."

Sure enough, Juvia, Levy, Loke, the Strauss siblings, Laxus and his best friends, the Thunder God Tribe, were all coming to the bench to watch the fight. Gajeel and Elfman had already arrived and were already fighting in the mix too.

"Okay," Lucy said, stealing one last glance at the pinkette.

This might be hard to believe, but she actually didn't want him worrying about her.

Yeah, she was getting soft.

"Wait!" Speak of the devil. Natsu who was thrown out of the fight, trotted over. "Erza she doesn't go anywhere without me."

Lucy glanced at him.

"Look Lucy, I know you might be a little uncomfortable but after what happened yesterday, I made a promise I was never leaving your side again. That's a promise, I intend to keep."

He was stared intensely at her bandages then looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

Lucy shied away from his gaze.

Point taken.

But seriously, it took one hell of a story from Lucy to keep the staff at the manor from calling the police yesterday. Also while they were tending to her wounds, one of the maids sent the message back to her father she was hurt, then he sent back of those stoic, cryptic, business-related messages, and acted as if he didn't care. Not that it was anything she wasn't used to.

"Natsu, we're wasting time here!" Erza said, "She's a big girl, she should be able to take care of herself."

She lightly tugged Lucy's arm.

"Well I say, she doesn't leave my side." He tugged with a little more force than Erza on Lucy's other arm.

Now hold on...

"Well I say, that my orders are absolute," Erza said, giving Lucy's arm a little yank.

"Well I say, it doesn't matter what you say," Natsu said, flat out yanking Lucy towards him.

Erza returned the favor in kind, and somehow it became a full out tug-of-war, neither of them taking any consideration for all the bandages Lucy had wrapped on he arms. And since the two of them had monstrous strength, it felt like Lucy's arms were being ripped out of their sockets. That is, until Erza got fustrated and punched Natsu, causing Natsu to fall on the ground in unconsciousness.

"Lets go," she said and Lucy had no objections.

* * *

Why yes Fairy Tail's most prized possession; the lunch hall was breathing and alive with the flow of bustling bodies trapping in and out of its swinging red doors. The aged white walls were looking a bit dinghy with some of the paint peeling off of it. Not to mention small works of graffiti from students and faded food stains, evidence of a previous food fight earlier in the year traced what was left of the poor walls. The air reeked of greasy food with the undertone of B.O. Those who had packed lunch went to their perspective tables, while the rest had to join the lunch line which was already to the door.

"That _bitch."_ Natsu spat angrily, while tapping his foot.

"Well, it was your fault for getting in her way Natsu," Cana said, sipping on booze, "You know Erza would smack a bitch and not give two shits about it later."

"Yeah, but to knock me out for half a day?" Natsu looked around the noisy cafeteria, "It's lunchtime Cana!"

She shrugged. "All I know is you got in her way, and you of all people should know better than that."

He crossed his arms and huffed like an angry four-year-old. Mira chuckled.

Yes people, the king is back. And he's on his rightful place on the throne, on the table in the centre of the cafeteria, reserved for him and his friends, the pops.

 _"What kind of big sister doesn't side with her little brother anyways?"_ He grumbled under his breath. However Cana knew it was meant for her.

Cana and Mira shared looks with each other.

 _"The normal kind!"_ They chorused.

"And anyway, you want good sister? How's about telling me where you went 6am this morning, huh? You know when Gildarts isn't around Natsu, I'm in charge."

"Well ummm..."

He was spared from giving her a response when Lisanna skipped over, followed by Juvia and Levy.

" _Natsu~"_ she purred.

Her voice was so unrealistically happy it made everyone at the table cringe. Well, excluding Natsu.

"I got your lunch for ya." She went on. "And I waited on that whole line to get it too."

"Thanks Lisanna, you're the best," He said taking the tray out of her hands.

As the three of got seated comfortably, Lisanna couldn't help but notice Natsu kept looking around the room.

"Looking for something Natsu?"

"Huh, what? Oh, don't worry about it."

She glared at him.

"You're lying to me again Natsu!" She shouted.

He didn't answer. She continued.

"It's that girl, isn't it? Lucy!" She raised her voice, "Natsu, why do you keep going after her, the whole school saw a video of her _masturbating_ to you in her bedroom! She's honestly a ho and everyone knows it!"

"Lisanna!" Mira snapped.

Natsu stood up so he was face to face, but slightly above eye level with Lisanna. He said nothing, he simply glared her down.

"Lisanna that wasn't right," He said, barely able to contain his anger. "I thought you were better that."

The whole cafeteria spectated as he stormed away. As he turned around, before he could get two steps in, he almost kissed Gray.

"What the hell man?!"

"That's what I should be asking you ice _prick_."

As usual they start arguing, but Juvia, wondering where her prince has been all day, cut them off.

"Gray-sama, Juvia wonders where have you been all day? You didn't talk to Juvia at all. Juvia has made you lunch."

"That's okay Juvia I'm going back to hang out with Lucy and the others for now. Umm, see you later?" He turned to Natsu, "Natsu your girlfriend needs you."

As the two of them trotted off, Lisanna and Levy noticed Juvia sitting, unnaturally quietly in her seat.

"Juvia, are you ok-"

"That girl is going to pay. Bad."

* * *

On the rooftop was an extension of the cafeteria, another eating area. However, noone ever bothered to eat there, considering all the drama usually happens downstairs. It was full of round stone tables, with green tile cemented on top as decoration. Each table had a big open umbrella protecting it, so that the diners could be protected from the sun and rain. There are many multicolored flowers lining the borders and the railings. Though through time, the tables had large spider webs and spiders inhabiting it now. And ufortunately all this beautiful scenery has gone to waste since no one used to eat there. Excluding Natsu and Lucy. This is where they ate yesterday, which is also where Lucy is now.

"Lucy!"

Lucy looked up.

"Oh, hey Natsu," she said casually.

He immediately started checking her out.

"No new wounds, you're okay! Did anyone pick on you?"

She shook her head. "Gray, Loke and Gajeel watched over me all day." She looked at said boys and gave them an appreciative smile. He held her in his arms defensively.

"I don't trust these perverts Lucy, not a one of 'em." He looked objectively at Loke.

"Oh _shutup_ Salamander," Gajeel said, " It's not like we did anything. Besides, Bunny girl would have out hides if we tried anything."

 _"Bunny Girl?"_ Natsu said confused.

"Yeah, turns out she's pretty chill," Gray said, " I'd say Lucy's cool in my book."

"And M'lady always knows I'm here to serve," Loke chimed in.

All three of them got up.

"Yo Lucy," Gray said, "If you ever find yourself in any trouble, and Natsu ain't around you can call us okay?"

Loke nodded and Gajeel grunted a "whatever".

They all shared mutual glances of gratitude and friendship.

"Stop staring at _my_ girl please. Thanks." Natsu said as a matter-of-fact.

Gray smirked. "Just remember what I told you Lucy, and you'll be fine."

She jerked up to look at him and she blushed.

"What?" Gray said.

"G-Gray..." she stammered fully embarrased. "You're clothes."

He looked down at his bare chest, while his friends laughed. Natsu covered Lucy's eyes as Gray ran away, the others following behind.

"Now that those pricks are gone, what happened today Lucy?"

Lucy explained in detail how the three boys walked with her to and from classes, they glared at anybody that tried to call her names, and gave her preferential treatment all day. In the process, the one on one time she got with each of them, she got a different side to them, and she believes they say that with her too. They became friends in the process.

Natsu huffed.

"Well it still bugs me and that they got to spend the day with you and I didn't."

She turned away.

"Why are you complaining, you're with me now right?" She said softly.

There was a bit of silence that followed her question. The reason she turned away from Natsu was because her face was redder that a tomato.

 _Why did I say that?!_ She thought.

Then Natsu bounced back.

"You're right Lucy," He said gleefully.

He looked like a loyal dog being praised by his owner.

She turned and smiled at him in return. Then she turned around again.

"Natsu," she spoke ominously, "I'm in alot of trouble."

* * *

That afternoon, when school had ended, Juvia, Levy and Lisanna were discussing the events that happened in the cafeteria. Lisanna, of course could not stop going on about how much she despised Lucy. Juvia sit there dangerously quietly while Levy nonchalantly continued reading her book.

"I mean, why does she get all the boys?" Lisanna ranted, "I mean, first it's Natsu, then Gray, and Gajeel was there Levy, and you know it."

Levy shrugged.

"Why should I care? He's not my boyfriend."

She turned a page.

"Yeah, but you like him, and Lucy knows that. _Everybody_ knows that!"

She shrugged and turned a page.

"I guess."

Levy seemed so distant and cold-blooded now a days, that it was hard to believe that this girl was the same ball of sunshine she grew up with years ago. Lisanna shook off the thought. People change.

"So I think we need a plan of action ladies, here's what I propose. First, we need to convince the boys that blondie is no good. Second, we each get who we want. I'll finally have Natsu back and you two can have Gray and Gajeel. Three, _exterminate."_

Juvia raised her hand.

"Lisanna, Juvia has an idea on what we can do on _exterminate."_

* * *

 **My favorite part was the cafeteria scene. What's yours?**


	4. And a Roach

**This segment is brought to you MarsSonofGalaxies. If you haven't noticed by now, I don't particularly like writing A/N for this story. I was just going to answer his questions in PM, but I figured if any of you had similar questions, I'd answer them, one go. Thanks for asking these questions, if any of you ask questions I believe are necessary in your review I'll answer them here. :**

 **1)Will the video be explained? (** Who filmed it and how and who leaked it?)

 **Response: This will all be explained, but in due time my friend. Due time.**

 **2) Aren't the all girls acting hypocritical? (Like, haven't they done that before?)**

 **Oh yes, absolutely. I want the female students to come across as hypocritical, considering alot of them never liked Lucy. (I said alot, not all) Okay, picture this:**

 **You're a normal average girl at school. You've had a crush on this boy in your class since forever. Suddenly a new girl transfers to your school word is, she comes from this snobby girls, private school. She's blonde, pretty, and has the second biggest chest you've ever seen. Suddenly all the boys in your class, turn into brainless idiots and start flirting with her. Your crush does too, and suddenly your back to square one, being invisible. The worst part is, this girl thinks she's all that, by the way she treated her 'best friend' and by the way she treated the most popular boy at school. Like dirt. You realize you hate this girl but because everyone else seems to like her you keep it to yourself. One day a video is shown on an assembly of Little Miss Perfect masturbating to that boy. It's not that you've never done it before, it's just she treats him like dirt but has the nerve to please herself with him. Suddenly, everyone starts ragging on her and you join in too. Just to pay her back for all she's done to you, wether she knew it or not. Now, you finally begin to feel like you've gotten your just desserts.**

 **And this is just one scenario. There are hundreds I could make up and have all of them end the same (sorta).**

 **3) Thanks Mariah Carmichael-yes for pointing it out. I made an editing mistake last chapter, but I fixed it now.**

 **Sorry that took so long, now on with the chapter.**

 **Also I apologize in advance.**

 **For all the filler.**

* * *

 _Chapter 4: **And**_ ** _a Roach! I Also saw a Roach!_**

 _Suspects_

 _1) Lisanna Straus-?_

 _Reason: Jealousy_

 _Means to do so: None, doesn't know where I live etc, etc. Also to be honest, she's not that intelligent._

 _2) Juvia Lockser- Crazy_

 _Reason: Being a brainless, overly violent moron. She believes everyone is out to steal her man, and by her man, I mean, in her mind. Also she's Lisanna Strauss' shadow._

 _Means to do so: None humanly possible, but with this girl, if there's a will there's a way._

 _3) Levy McGarden-?_

 _Lucy took a long pause and viewed what she just wrote. Levy McGarden, her best friend was on a list with all her enemies. Well at least she thought she was. Who knows, who Levy is now, she doesn't seem to be friends with anybody even though she hangs out with alot of people. However, feelings aside, this is a suspect list and out of all people, Levy would have the most leeway to do this. She was her 'best friend' therefore equating to her, knowing more about her than anyone else. She continued writing._

 _Reason: No idea_

 _Means to do so: Quite a few of them actually. Knowing my real last name, knowing I like recording video diaries for my mom etc._

 _4) Any of the boys- Really Lucy?_

Reason: None. Unless they're secretly, cruel, sick fucks.

Means to do so: Be like Natsu. Enough said.

Speaking of Natsu, Lucy thought a little harder about that one. Spending a little more time with Natsu these past couple days, she realized he wasn't as big a ditz as he let people think. You know if Natsu really wanted to...

But Natsu wouldn't do that! What was she even thinking on that one. Natsu had too much of an innocent heart to do so. He was also a little naive.

However, even though she kept telling herself this, she still couldn't stop her pen from reaching the paper, and inevitability write his name.

5) Nagsu Dragneel

As she looked at the paper, she felt so utterly stupid for writing down his name, yet as she wrote down "reason" and "means to do so" her mind began working like clockwork and it started to make sense. Like, more sense than Juvia, or Lisanna, and especially Levy.

Reason: Revenge (for all the name calling and rude things I've done) and/or to make me his

Means to do so: I'm still not completely sold on his story about following me all the way home. I know Natsu knows alot of people. Perhaps he just plugged into some of his connections to get what he wanted. Just like he did for the video. Perhaps he knows someone who works at the manor. Perhaps they recorded me and gave the footage to Natsu. Maybe he orchestrated everything that happened that fateful day. Yes, and he figured with my life ruined, he would be my savior. My knight in shining armor, if you will.

Please.

Lucy crumpled up the piece of paper and hastily threw it in her bin. This was so stupid.

The words of Erza and Principal Makarov kept ringing through her head.

Detention.

Suspension...

Sex tape...

Call your father...

Bring the police...

Expulsion.

She rubbed her temples and groaned. She let her mind wonder to the meeting she had with Titania and the administators on Wednesday.

They were punishing her for something she didn't do. But since she had no proof, she was the one suffering the consequences. Boy were their fingers twitchy, every so-called often they kept bringing up calling Lucy's father and kept touching their phone, but luckily, Lucy managed to thwart all their attempts. Lucy knew all to well, if they called her father he wouldn't hesitate to take her out of school and game over, maybe even worse. They kept saying things like "it could be classified as a sex tape" and "bring in the police" and all sorts of nonsense. She was honestly scared out of her mind during the meeting but Erza comforted all throughout, during all the breaks the principal and the others took to debate, Erza took her side through all of it. In the end, through a little more coaxing from Erza, Principal Makarov gave the blonde an ultimatum. He gave her a deadline. Lucy were to prevent proof, that she wasn't the culprit behind the video and that she didn't intentionally record it. If she had a suspect in mind, bring evidence and a logical reason to do so. They stressed to her that failure to do all this, meant they had the liberty to take matters into their own hands.

So now, Lucy was on a mission. A mission to clear her name and bring the person who did this to her to justice!

She flopped herself onto her circular shaped, king sized bed. She extended her arm and pressed play on her radio. Walk it like I talk was on. Garbage, her father would say, but deep down Lucy secretly liked music like this. She liked rap, and hip hop, techno and r&B too. She liked k-pop music and rock. She wasn't just all proper. The song then ended and Lucy looked up.

Staring down at her was her mother. Strong and smiling. And in her arms was a newborn baby. That, was Lucy.

She reflected back in time to when her mother was alive. Oh how she loved her mother. Her father too, but this was before he underwent his "transformation". She remembered getting constant hugs and kisses. She remembered playing hide and seek. She remembered running around the mansion garden getting her mother to chase her. She remembered picking flowers from dad's flower garden picking off all the petals playing the "he loves me, he loves me not" game. Then when she was done she would throw them in the air like confetti. Present Lucy let out a chuckle. She remembered her dad was pissed that day, but before anything bad could happen to her, her mother came to her defense. She smiled lovingly at the portrait.

Then she remembered the day her mother died.

Her smile began to disappear. The sky was dark and it rained that day. It rained and it rained and it rained. Harder than it ever rained before in Magnolia. She embedded that day in her mind.

No sunshine.

Her dad became frigid and mean. Even more so than before. He never listened to her, never looked at her. Then, as time grew, they became like strangers living in the same house. He enrolled her in that God - awful all girls school despite her many, many protests. Then, things seemed to have taken a turn for the better in her life, when she transferred to the local high school, Fairy Tail. Sure she acted a bit awkward around everyone, but it was her first time being around so many people, especially so many boys. Then came along Natsu and everything that the staff at the manor and her father told her kicked in. Never trust boys who act like that, they only want one thing. Thus, was born the name Lucy constantly called him; f-boy.

When the video came out everyone's personalities took a 360° turn for the worst. Weren't they all her friends just a minute ago? That's when she realized things weren't going to get better for her anywhere. Not at school, home, nowhere. Her life was cursed and she was bound to be unhappy for the rest of it. Then Natsu comes along again. This time not as a another enemy, but, as a friend. An actual, true as the deep blue friend. Maybe her life wasn't bound to be an endless hell.

She stared out her window.

The tree outside her house was now almost bare. The brown and orange leaves continued to fall, then the chilly breeze swept it away. It was like a system getting ready for winter.

Autumn.

She continued staring out the window until Virgo, her personal maid, knocked on the door bringing her out of her reverie. The violin teacher was here.

* * *

The room was deadly silent other than sweet, sorrowful sounds of Lucy's violin, playing "O Come All ye Faithful". The woman looked at Lucy intently, nodded every so often when she got a certain tone right. Right now she was playing flawlessly.

Lucy on the other hand was very distracted. She kept looking out the window to the beautiful world on the outside, but why?

"Lucy? Lucy? Lucy!"

"Huh, what?" Lucy was snapped out of her daze.

"Lessons are finished."

As the teacher packed up and left, Lucy silently chastised herself. She realized she's become so accustomed by Natsu's frequent unannounced visits, that she was literally standing around waiting for him to come. How absurd!

Virgo came in the room and told her to get changed for her next class, ballet. She took out the hair tie keeping her hair in a pony tail and took off her shirt, leaving her in only her underwear, red singlet and pair of black shorts. Before she went any further she went to close the window.

She looked out the window once more, a face came swinging upside down with spiky pink hair and a warm grin.

"Hiya Lucy!" Natsu said.

Let me just tell you, when Lucy screamed, all the birds in the surrounding area flew away.

"Princess! Are you alright!"

Virgo bust into Lucy's room only to find Lucy on the ground on the other side of the bed, smothering an unseen Natsu.

"Yep I'm fine. Fine, fine, fine just uh... saw a squirrel."

She raised an eyebrow.

"All that for a squirrel?"

"And a roach! I also saw a roach!"

"You saw a roach? Well princess allow me," Virgo was cut off as she was about to walk around the room. Lucy smothered Natsu more between her beasts.

"No need! I killed it in my panicked frenzy."

Lucy smiled sheepishly at the more growingly suspicious maid. However when she caught sight of the tan, muscular legs in between her master's own legs she blushed. Before she got too excited she had to follow protcal first.

"So you're okay? There isn't a rapist here or anything?"

After a little more assurance from Lucy that everything was alright, the maid finally left. When she closed the door on Lucy, she was face to face with almost half the mansion staff.

"Is Miss Lucy alright?"

"We heard her scream."

"Virgo, what's going on?"

"Quiet everyone, quiet! The princess, has a boy in the room."

Just as the staff was about to let off a universal roar she quieted them down, then rested her ear on the door and gestured for them to follow.

On the other side of the door, Lucy was raising herself off of Natsu, while he looked like he just got a taste of heaven.

She blushed covering her chest.

Pervert.

"That was a close one, huh Lucy."

"Natsu, what are you doing here?"

"Duh, to check up on you silly. And I think the better question is, what are you doing here?"

"This is my house."

"Yeah but it's Saturday! A beautiful Saturday, at that you should be outside! The gang and I were going to the arcade today, for example.

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah but we'll be going outside on the way there, you'll be in your house all day!"

"I can't Natsu, I have to get ready for ballet, then go to gymnastics, then start floral arrangements, then etiquette classes, then Ladies Club."

"Wow! Well what are you doing all that for?"

" _Daddy's building the perfect future wife."_

 _"What?"_

She shook her head.

The pinkette stared her down intently, as if he were evaluating something. When he finally came to a conclusion, he sporadically picked her up bridal style and carried her out and away from her house.

"What the! Natsu let me go! Let me go you deranged lunatic!" She cried, violently pounding his chest in the process.

"No way future wife!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Future wife?

She literally pounded his face in.

"Don't ever call me that again. Especially not in public. Need I remind you pinky that I still hate eff boys."

Poor Natsu literally withered up like a puppet being punished by its master.

"Now where are we..."

She stared in awe at the beautiful picture layed out before her.

"Magnolia is really beautiful in the fall." She smiled.

The sky was full of orange, brown and red leaves. The air smelt like punpkin, and cinnamon and hott lattes. People walked the leaf littered streets in sweaters and scarves. Many of the local shops were decorated for the season. She felt a chilling wave of de javu, the entire scene reminded her of a time she used to roam outside. A time when her mother was alive.

She felt Natsu's hand envelope around hers. She ignored the constant ringing of the cell phone in her pocket and the cold brisk wind on her shoulders of a magnolia fall. Natsu smiled at her and slowly but surely she smiled back at him. He wrapped his precious scarf around her bare shoulders.

"M'lady," he said and he raised her hand to his lips gently kissed it.

* * *

 **Yeah eff me, I know. I'm sorry guys, but this chapter was also a setup chapter, setting up for alot more plot development next chapter. Okay, you're right, no excuse. This is my last filler chapter scouts honor.**


	5. Three Course Meal

Lisanna's Three Course Meal

The delicate strokes of the brush, ran through Lisanna's white, shortened hair. The item being used was an antique brush, of sorts, which once belonged to her mother. It was Lisanna's most prized possession. Juvia absentmindedly tugged on Lisanna's short mane a little too hard, and said girl let out a babyish squeak. Turning around, she chastised her best friend.

" _Juvia! Watch what you're doing clutz!_ "

"Hey! Juvia is sorry, Juvia was just thinking about Gray-sama."

Earlier this morning, Lisanna had summoned the two blunettes to her house for some sort of _meeting._ As it turns out, it was probably just an excuse for them to come over and help her get ready for school.

"Yeah well, Juvia needs to start thinking about _Gray-sama_ a little less and start thinking about her best friend a little more!"

Levy attempted to stifle her laughter which in turn made her sound as if she were chocking. Lisanna stared her down cross eyed, and the blunette clammed up immediately. She stood out of the chair in front of her vanity and began pacing around the room, ranting and raving.

"You two can't do anything right! I told Juvia to put _one_ laxative in that blonde girl's food, just one! But _noo! And you!"_

She pointed accusingly at Levy, who defensively looked her down.

 _"Who me?"_

"No me, _yes you stupid!_ You haven't told me anything useful on Lucy that we could use against her yet!"

Levy was a bit dumbfounded. Her mouth kept opening and closing, at a loss for words, she looked like a fish in water. She didn't really know what to say.

"Well no matter," there was a bit of an evil look in Lisanna's eyes, "I already have something in mind."

Levy looked on in deep abhorrence at the now cackling Strauss sibling. At this point, Levy wasn't sure what happened to her that year when her family moved to Paris, but it sure has made her quite the bitch.

"Girls, Elfman and I are already out the door!" Mira called, "Chop, chop its time to go to school!"

* * *

 _"Good morning students, teachers and staff of the great Fairy Tail Academy. I hope your mornings are all peaceful and productive."_

There was snickering heard in the background of the intercom.

 ** _"Oi!"_** Erza went full demon mode, ** _"I hope whoever made that sound back there likes fires, because when I'm done with this announcement they've got the wrath of hell to pay!"_**

"Um, Erza," a small voice squeaked in the back.

 _ **"What?!"**_ she hissed.

She then let out an embarrassed squeak. Some of the nearby students laughed. The person probably reminded her the intercom was still on.

 _"Sorry about that students, back to our regularly scheduled programming."_

There was another snicker in the background. Some more students laughed. If this was Titania's version of comedy, she was failing at it.

 _"I, Erza Scarlet, the student Council President am proud to announce that starting on Monday will be Fairy Tail's annual Week of Screams! During this we have a haunted house, dress up days, and ending it off is the much anticipated, Masquerade Mas-scare-rade Dance!"_

There was a roar of cheers in the courtyard. It really was highly anticipated.

 _"So students, be prepared to get your fright on before Halloween! And don't forget to ask tnat special guy or gal to the dance! Thank you, and once again, good morning."_

After the announcement was made the student body clapped and cheered. There was a roar of approval in the courtyard. If only Erza could of heard this for herself.

Lucy examined the scene in amazement. "This Week of Screams thing is really important to everyone huh?"

Natsu nodded his head."Escepially the dance. Everyone looks forward to that."

She slowly nodded her head.

"Erza must be pretty nervous. Also excited, this is her first year as President planning this. Its also her last, considering she is a senior. Yeah knowing her, right now she's probably giving those poor souls at the council a hard time."

Lucy slowly nodded her head again. Natsu raised his eyebrow.

"What's wrong Lucy?"

She was snapped back into reality. She fumbled over herself flustered. "It's n-n-nothing really," she stuttered, "I was just _remembering that I have never been to a dance before."_ She muttered out the last part, then quickly pivoted her head so the cheeky boy couldn't see her blush. He stared at he in awe for a minute.

They was a long minute of silence between the two.

The wind picked up letting Lucy's blonde locs to sway in the breeze. Her eyes shined in the sun. Her skin glowed a healthy glow. Natsu reminded himself how lucky he was.

After she calmed her frenzied state of mind to find Natsu drooling at her.

She raised her eyebrow at him.

"What's your problem?"

"Well nothing really its just that I-"

He was interrupted by a flying shoe into his mouth.

" _Oi Natsu!"_ It was Gray. And Natsu wasn't too happy about it either _._

 _Why this mother-_

 _"Oi, Flame for- OW!"_

Gray was cut off by an angry Natsu tackling him to the ground. They immediately began to brawl.

Lucy looked on at Natsu dumbfounded. Wasn't he about to tell her something important? She waved it off. It couldn't have been too important if he could blow her off for Gray. Still, she couldn't help but feel _slightly_ disappointed by the anticlimactic turn off events.

Gray had been doing that all day. Every class he had with Natsu and Lucy, if he was around and noticed a good mood between them, you can be rest assured that he would try to butt in. Like he was intentionally trying to prevent Natsu from talking to Lucy. The result would be the same every time. It became such a nuisance to the point where Erza was summoned to carry them to the principal's office lunchtime. And since Erza was in the middle of another plaanning session for the week of screams, so you know she was pissed when she came _._

 _She said nothing when she came in, but the bandaged pair of idiots could sense the extent of her vexation and began trembling in fear. She said nothing but ushered them to walk with her. After they arrived at their destination, and she explained the situation to principal Makarov, upon her exiting she left them with these words. She spoke dangerously softly, slowly, intently,_ pronouncing each syllable, so that it may strike fear into the hearts of this pair of fools.

 _"If I have to talk to you two about fighting one more time, first, I am going to tear you both, **limb from limb** , next I am going to **skin you alive,** then I shall proceed to **mutilate your insides,** put you on a **shish kabob,** _ and **feed what's left of you to the hungry children in Africa!** Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

 _"Yes ma'am!"_ They chorused.

 _"Good,_ and remember boys, thats not a threat, thats a promise, and Erza Scarlet doesn't make empty promises."

She left the room on that chilling note.

When she left they felt more relaxed, until they remembered why they were there in the first.

"Talk."

"What?"

"Gray I want you to tell me why you keep interrupting me whenever I try to ask Lucy something. Because, seriously what's your problem man?"

The raven haired boy turned around and scoffed. There was a long pause.

"I know what you want to ask Lucy."

"So?"

"You don't deserve to ask that girl to the dance. Lucy deserves someone better."

Gray, intent on not looking Natsu in the face, starts whistling in the awkward atmosphere he had created, while silently admonishing himself for his choice of words.

If looks could kill... Natsu would be on trial for murder right now. How he was feeling, he wanted to go and kill his best friend, then apologize for it later. He continued to look at Gray wildly.

"So what are you saying? Do you like her Gray?"

Mercifully, Gray was spared from giving the pinkette an answer when Makarov emerged from his sanctuary and ushered them both to come inside. He could sense the animalistic atmosphere in the room, which was breeding ground for most of their fights. Gray got up and headed into the room, but Natsu continued to glare at the spot Gray was once seated in.

"Come boy." Makarov said.

* * *

It was lunchtime and Lucy hadn't seen a piece of Natsu since maths earlier (or Gray for tuat matter). However she knew where he was and quickly slapped away that nasty feeling of abandonment right off her. In the mean while, Cana was keeping her company, and Cana was pretty easy to talk to too, that was, until Cana srarted into space.

"What's wrong Cana?"

She kept staring _._

"Have you ever wanted to tell someone something so bad, that it started to eat you up on the inside."

Lucy looked in the general direction Cana was staring at. She was still lost. So very lost.

"Well I can tell you from experience that something like that you need to release right away. No time like the present right? Besides you don't know what the future holds, you may never get a chance again."

Cana was extremely inspired.

"You know what Lucy? You're right. I shouldn't hide my feelings any more."

 _"Yeah!"_

"I'm going to tell the boy I like how I feel! "

"Atta girl!"

She got up and began walking straight towards Laxus' table where the Thunder God tribe, along with Mira and Elfman were seated. She gave her greetings to everyone and struck up a conversation with Laxus. Lucy's eyes rolled out of her forehead. She was hyperventilating on the inside. Laxus was teh boy she had feeling for?

 _Laxus?_

What was wrong with that girl? Everybody knows Laxus is a cold hearted mf, and everyone also knows Laxus and Mira have a thing for each other, even though they aren't dating... yet.

Lucy closed her eyes. She couldn't watch this.

Or could she?

But that aside, besides almost having a conniption, she was hearing things too, since she could've sworn she heard the buzz of a universal text message. But when she checked her phone however, there was none.

Weird.

When she looked up again she saw an upset Cana stomping her way back to the table.

"Did he reject you?"

"Hell yeah."

There was a pause. She sat down her eyebrows furrowed and her arms folded. There was another pause.

"It was because he likes Mira right?"

"No, they're dating."

 _Oh._ She should've kept her big juicy mouth shut.

"Sorry Cana."

"Eh, don't be," the brunette replied, taking a swill of her alcohol. "I've like Laxus Dreyar for years now, and all of my female friends know it. I've only known you for a couple of minutes and yet you're the one that convinces me to confess to him. You're not half bad, Lucy Ashley, not bad to me."

Lucy smiled. Cana's statement really warmed her heart. But practically speaking, her friends probably didn't encourage her to confess to Laxus since they knew Mira liked him too. And that he liked her back. Lucy only encouraged the drunk out of stupidity. But Cana didn't need to know that.

After all, she believes she just made a new friend.

* * *

"Alright it's done Strauss."

"You sent the text Levy? Thanks.

"Don't thank me, you owe me."

"Whatever McGarden. Pass the phone"

She yanked her rose-gold iphone out of Levy's grasp

"Phase one of my plan is finally complete Phase two I will handle personally and phase three"


	6. The Text

**The Text**

That afternoon, when Lucy arrived home, she greeted the mansion staff routinely, but none of them answered back. She noticed the somber mood in the room.

"Guys, what's wrong?"

"Miss Lucy, Master Jude requests your presence. And he's not too pleased." Ms. Sphetto said.

"Wait he's back? When did he get back?"

"While you were at school today ma'am. And while he was here he received a called from Madame Ritchie."

Madame Ritchie, the head coordinator of ladies club, not to mention, she's also the founder of the snobby all - girls school Lucy father tried to make Lucy attend. She was the widow of a millionaire, and now a days, it seems, she was trying to get Lucy's father to put a ring on it.

Oh yeah, and she's a total pain in the ass.

She cursed under her breath. She probably squawked to her father about her being absence at Ladies Club on Saturday. Great.

"Let's get you changed princess." Virgo said.

* * *

Fairy Tail Academy is the type of place where power is respected. Where those in authority over others, are _really_ in authority over others. A dictators paradise, if you will. A food chain, or pyramid, where either you're at the very top, or at the very bottom. A place, where only the strong minded and strong willed can simply rise to the position of monarchy and rule. In the urban dictionary, monarchy is defined as;

"A **monarchy** is a form of government in which sovereignty is actually or nominally embodied in one individual reigning until death or abdication. They are called **monarchs."**

Natsu Dragneel is the very embodiment of a monarch, a king even, at Fairy Tail Academy **.**

So it would only stand to reason that all of Natsu's closest friends, held some sort of power too. They too, are considered, monarchs. Together they reign, and rule gracefully and justifiably over the kingdom. If they say jump, you ask how high. When they walk by you in the halls, you remain mute until they leave. When one of them opens their mouth to talk, everybody listens.

But what happens, when someone at the bottom of the food chain _doesn't_ want to listen?

Such unlawful acts can spark a revolt in the people. And a people, who may just try to overthrow the government. Now, I know what you're thinking, if they succeed in taking over, then what?

Anarchy- _a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems_.

An anarchy is formed, and as fate would have it, today, Fairy Tail Academy was staring at the very threshold of anarchism.

Lucy and Cana were sitting together on Lucy's regular bench that morning, Lucy promised to quiz Cana on history because the drunk had a make up test for history second period that day. Lucy yawned again. Cana noticed she was acting a little wonky.

"Alright, next question *yawn* what year was the-"

"Hold on a sec Lucy."

"What?" She snapped.

"You look _awful. Simply awful._ I mean _damn_ chica."

Lucy yawned again. She wiped her sleep crusted eyes leaving them irritated and red. Cana noticed newly formed bags under the blonde's pretty brown eyes. She cringed.

"Don't worry about it Cana. I just saw my father yesterday." Cana took a big gulp of her beer.

"Explain."

"My father and I aren't exactly close. I don't get to see him, face to face on a daily basis. He's always traveling, you see, and the only time he ever summons me to his office is to either chew me out or to tell me something I don't want to hear. Yesterday afternoon he did both."

Cana drank a little more slowly, taking in everything her blonde friend just told her.

"Rough."

"Yeah..."

"You know, Natsu's biological father sounds a bit like that. He left Natsu and his brother when they were both very young." She took another swivel of beer and continued. "The bastard knew they'd be heartbroken if he left, yet he still did it anyway. "

" _Biological_ father... so does that mean...?"

Cana nodded her head.

Lucy's eyes widened. She wanted to hear more about Natsu's biological father but then something dawned on her.

"Hey... where is Natsu?" She asked.

But the bell rang before her question was answered.

* * *

Walking to homeroom felt... nostalgic that day, for some reason. People were giving the blonde dirty looks and scoffs. Lucy shifted to the other side of Cana uncomfortably. Cana waved goodbye to Lucy as she walked in homeroom. This meant the blonde was walking the rest of the way to class... alone.

Now, mind you she didn't feel the need to totally fear the students, considering their hostility towards her has calmed down significantly in the last two or three weeks. But on the other hand, she was still very afraid of what they might do to her, considering she's never walked the halls alone without one of the monarchs accompanying her. So at the moment, she wasn't sure what she would do, but she had no choice but to go.

Dejavu all over again. But this time instead of being outright prejudice, they were giving her subtle glares and whispers.

"He said that she said..."

"Oh! Have you heard? That girl did..."

"A little birdie told me that..."

They were all talking about Lucy and she didn't know what for. As she walked into homeroom, the entire class stared at her like an immigrant. As she awkwardly took her seat, she almost missed it when Lisanna shot her a Kitty Cheshire grin.

She stared longingly at the empty seat next her the entire time, wondering where pink haired bundle of fun was.

* * *

As it does every normal school day, lunchtime rolled around. Lucy walked into the cafeteria with her hair soaking wet pulled in a pony tail, with her gym clothes on. Everyone stopped their motions to look at her. Quite a few of them laughed. Lucy simply gave them the finger and headed upstairs to the rooftop. Cana, who was sitting with Erza and Mirajane, excused herself to follow her up stairs. Once there, she was met with Lucy furiously wringing out her regular school uniform of water.

"Lucy, what happened to your clothes?" She bent dowh next to Lucy, helping her to lay her clothes in sunny areas so that it could dry faster.

"If you must know, I had gym before I had lunch today. So I go into the changing room and start disrobing, a couple of bitches start laughing at me,I don't know why. Then as I go out, coach tells us we have dodgeball, _dodgeball,_ Cana. No wonder the tramps were laughing. Everyone in class had already planned on ganging me today."

"Did they?"

"What do you mean? They balled the ever loving shit outta me, didn't even give me a chance to dodge. Even my own teammates."

"Geesh."

"That's not even the worst part," she walked over to the railing on the perimeter of the roof, squeezed the excess water from her socks and left it to hang dry. "The worst part is Cana, that after my public display of humiliation, I go back into the changing room, only to find my school uniform sitting in the sink, with the sink water running and the sink about to overflow. As I try to salvage my clothes I hear a pair of bitches cackling as they leave the changing room. One of them said 'she got what she deserved'. Bitch."

She continued to furiously squeeze at her uniform. The brunette began to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"I really admire your spirit blondie. If that were to happen to someone else they would have been sad or frustrated, you're just pissed."

She raised an eyebrow.

Exhausted from all the hard work and energy they just exerted they both collapsed onto the ground and stared at the clouds. A comfortable silence ensued.

"Hey Cana, have you, by any chance, seen your brother?"

"You know, you've been asking for my brother alot lately " Cana sat up and faced her friend, "Is there any chance that you're in the _L word_ with him?"

Her face turned beet red.

"No! Of course not!"

"That's a shame, I think he really likes you."

Her face turned even redder.

If that was even possible.

"Also, I know this is off topic, but has anyone told you, you got a humongous chest?"

 _"Cana!"_ She screamed, hef face even _redder._

 _"What?"_

* * *

Juvia slowly walked the halls torn. She was summoned again by you-know-who to the back of the school, even though it was the last period of the day. As she walked, she casually considered the situation at hand. Lately, Juvia has been feeling alot more distant from Gray, not just physically when he's not around her, but she sensed there was serious disconnect with them emotionally. Now, Juvia had a tendency to assume that every girl that was close to Gray was a love rival for her. In her head, she always pictured them in love in the future and the love of her life would be gone forever which is why she's always so passionate about keeping their dirty butterfingers, off her man.

Now, Lucy Ashley, (boy does Juvia think thats a weird name) was no exception to this little routine of hers, that's why she started helping Lisanna in the first place. Of course it wasn't to help her friend get Natsu back. Everyone, even Stevie Wonder could tell, that even if Lucy had not existed in the first place Lisanna still was not meant to be with Natsu. But she still insists otherwise, anyway. Now, while on her way to class that morning that Juvia remembered seeing Gray being summoned by Natsu, so out of curiosity she followed. They eventually left the school, until they arrived at a barren field that was close by the school but noone could see them.

"Now we're alone Gray. No teachers, no students, nothing. I could beat the ever loving shit outta you right now if I wanted. So tell, me Gray Fullbuster, is it true?"

Is what true? Juvia wondered. She turned her head to her raven-haired prince, who was currently taking of his shirt, which revealed his chiseled abs. Juvia died and went straight to Gray heaven.

"So what if it is? You can still take her anytime you want. We both know you don't want her heart Romeo, you want the goods."

The goods? What are 'goods'? Juvia wondered. Then Juvia realized. And Juvia blushed.

Natsu got angry and lunged toward him. "That's not true!" He screamed, they started tunbling together in the tumbleweeds under the hot sun. The fight, as far as Juvia could tell, went on for at least an hour. Mavis. Where do they get all this energy from? She was getting tired just by looking at them.

After a while, Gray, who was on the ground struggling to block Natsu's punches asked, "Why are you doing all this?"

"Because you like her Gray! You like Lucy! And I wanna know why!"

Juvia's world completely shattered just then. What?

"I never said that Natsu, you're taking my words out of context!"

Gray took grip of Natsu's fist and threw him over his shoulder. Quick and nimble as a cat, Natsu landed on the ground on his feet, sliding backwards but using his hand on the ground as a brake.

"Yeah, you never said it, but you never denied it either!" He lunged at the boy once again, throwing a series of punches and kicks. But Gray, cool as ice dodged them all.

Juvia did not stay for the rest of the fight she had to quickly scamper back to school.

Juvia's mind was cast in a haze. A deep haze. She jjst found out that the love of her life, could possibly love someone else. And a blonde bimbo at that! If that were to happen to you, how would you feel? So when Lisannna suggested the two of them soak Lucy's clothes during gym, Juvia was all in. And because of Lisanna's mass text the whole gym class basically tried to murder Lucy with dodgeballs. All of which Juvia found quite funny. Juvia had now finally reached her destination. An abandoned chemistry classroom upstairs in the corner of the school. She found Levy, her nose buried deep in a book, as usual. There was no sign of Lisanna.

"Lockser," Levy looked up, "You're late."

"Juvia is sor-"

"Strauss wants you to record her when she comes to the classroom." She tossed her a camcorder, "And try not to be late this time."

Juvia stared at the device in confusion.

"But Juvia doesn't understand. Why is Juvia doing this?"

Levy did not acknowledge her. She simply turned to the next page in her book. Juvia huffed in annoyance.

Anti-social diva.

There were familiar murmurs in the hall coming closer and closer to the class.

"Lockser, hide!"

Juvia did as she was told and quickly. She dove behind the nearest desk, which so happened to be the teacher's.

"OK Lis, you got me." It was Natsu. The sound of the door closing followed his statement. "Now what do you want?"

Juvia began recording.

Lisanna's face turned red and flushed. Natsu's face immediately twisted into concern.

"What's wrong?"

"Natsu, I feel like we're drifting apart. I didn't want to say it in front of people because I didn't want to sound like I was jealous. But I don't feel like you're my best friend anymore... and its... all because of that girl, _Lucy._ " Then she burst into fake tears. This girl was good.

"Hey now don't cry," he said and wiped a tear away from her cheek. "You'll always be my best friend."

She took hold of his hand and stared into his eyes. She slowly began leaning in. Natsu noticed this and awkwardly began leaning his head backwards. She puckered her lips.

"Uh L-L-Lisanna? What are you doing?"

 _"Hush, or you'll ruin the moment."_

Her lips finally connected with his, her hand now on his cheek. He firmly pushed her away in response. She looked up at him with doe eyes.

"Look Lisanna..."

"I know, I know, you don't like me like that, we've been through this."

"Then why?"

"I just, wanted to knkw what it would be like to kiss you. Just once."

He let out an angry sigh and a "whatever", and he fumed out of the classroom. As he left the classroom, the other two girls came out of hiding. Lisanna still held on to the tingling sensation on her lips. She just kissed Natsu Dragneel! She could literally do a scorpion she was so happy. But first, she had to take care of business.

"Did you get it?".

"Yeah, Juvia recordand and I snagged a few photography shots." Levy handed the girl her iPhone. Lisanna instructed Juvia to give the camera to Levy.

"I believe you know what I want McGarden." Lisanna cackled.

"There's no way I can lose now." She began cackling in glee. In the midst of her celebratory cackling, Levy cut through.

 _"Overkill_."

"What?"

"The mass text completed its purpose. All of this" she gestured towards the cameras, "Is just overkill."

 _"Levy, Levy, Levy._ I don't call you by your first name often, rarely ever so you know when I do, you know you need to shut the fuck up." Uh oh. Juvia absentmindedly began walking backwards. "I know things about you, that'll land you in _prison._ Don't question me." Lisanna concluded.

A suffocating silence took over the room.

Then Levy scoffed.

"Whatever."

* * *

3:00pm. The bell rang for the end of the school day, and you guessed it, pinky was a no-show. She needed him today to fend off all the bullies but at a time when Lucy needed him the most - he vanished. She walked to the school gates to exit just like everybody else, when she saw a flash of pink from the corner of her eye. Thank you peripheral vision. She walked up to him and Cana, who was probably biting her head off for ducking. He didn't notice her until she shoved him hard in the back causing him to tumble forward. As he turned around to attack, he halted seeing her.

"Natsu! Where were you? I haven't seen you all day."

He froze cold. "Umm look don't worry about it."

Ouch. But what was he supposed to say? ' _Yeah Lucy, I just came out of an abandoned classroom with Lisanna Strauss and she kissed me. Yeah.'_

"Don't worry about it?" She could not believe he just said that to her. "But Natsu I was worried. Beyond worried, I was scared."

He stared into her worried eyes completely entranced. Mavis, who gave her such sexy eyes? If it was any other girl looking at him like that, so innocently with such gorgeous eyes, she would have been pregnant with his baby by now. He closed his eyes and shook head. Concentrate.

"Look, just drop it okay. I don't need you hovering over me."

There was a long silence. Natsu immediately regretted his words.

"Okay yeah, screw me for caring right?" She turned and stormed off. He tried to follow her.

"Lucy wait, I'm sorry just let me explain!"

"I don't give a shit anymore, just leave me alone Dragneel."

As he started to run after her he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned to see Cana shaking her head at him.

"Why not?"

"She needs time to cool off Natsu. Especially after all that happened to her today."

"What? What happened to her today?"

"Maybe if you had been here Natsu, you would've known."

Natsu visibly deflated. But maybe Cana was right. Maybe after she had a chance to cool off, she'd be more open to his explanation. He knew Lucy, and Lucy wasn't one to hold a grudge for very long. Afterall he needed time to think of what he was going to say to her tomorrow. So with a relinquishing sigh, fighting off all previous urges to chase after her, he admitted defeat.

"Let's go home."

* * *

Somewhere in Magnolia City, Lucy Heartfilia was fuming angrily and mouthing off about the notorious Natsu Dragneel. Angry couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling right then. No, it was wrath straight from hell. Somewhere along the line, in the midst of all her ranting and raving, she ended up wandering off to a foreign part of the city. Great. Now she was lost. She pulled out her white Samsung S6 mini, placed in the security pattern for her phone and scrolled down her contacts list. But who should she call? She reached the _M's_ and now the _N's,_ upon seeing Natsu's name her blood boiled.

That _bitch._

This was all his fault.

Tears slowly began to swell in her eyes. _Didn't he say he wasn't going to leave my side?_ The tears pooled up and threatened to spill. _So where were you today when I needed you?_ The tears rolled down her cheeks despite her best efforts for them not too.

 _"Aw, what's the matter pretty lady?"_

Lucy shot up, alarmed. She looked at the source of the voice, a male, probably around her age, with orange hair and a Fairy Tail Academy uniform on... She looked around a group of big, muscular male students surrounded her.

Crap.

How did they get so close without her noticing? She was distracted, that's how. She looked at the circle that was created around her. It was about seven or eight of them. Oh no. The leader, the one with the orange hair, gave a nod to the two boys behind her. They grabbed her by her elbows from behind, and she immediately began bucking and screaming. Two more guys came to help hold her down and they did.

"What do you want?" She said after they all successfully brought her into a nearby alley. The sick, sadistic smiles on their faces was all the explanation she needed. Sweat trickled from her pores. Her heart raced a mile a minute.

No.

 _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no._

She started kicking and screaming and bucking and kicking and screaming and bucking like life itself depended on it.

"Let me go! Let me go!" She cried. "Somebody _**HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP**!" She screamed louder than she ever screamed before, but it was like nobody could hear her._

"Shutup blondie!" The leader yelled. The boy got a big metal pipe and mustering all the strength he could, hit her over the head with it, causing a big guamole bump and blood to trickle down her cheeks. A mixture of blood, sweat and tears were evident on her face, and not the good kind. She literally just saw her life flash before her eyes. She lay on ground, sobbing.

"Don't cry blondie, we're simply paying you back for what you did to that girl."

She slowly looked up. She didn't know what he was talking about. The boy took out his cellphone and pulled out something for her to read. She read it once, then she had to read it again to make sure wasn't seeing things. Then she had to read it once more to make sure that her head trauma wasn't making her hallucinate. The text message was sent from _Anonymous_ but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who wrote it. It read:

 _Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl who were very happily in love- until the girl was forced to move away leaving the boy alone forever. And as you all know, with a few magical twists of fate, the girl came back for her beloved prince. But what you don't know is that the boy had changed._

 _Yes, the girl had become heartbroken when the prince didn't seem to remember the amorous romance the two shared. That is, until the princess realized he was under the influence of a spell, cast by a blonde witch. Yes, she cast a spell simply by flaunting her desirous body around on video showcase. After Lucy the witch completed the spell, she celebrated through various consummations with him, flaunting that Prince Natsu would no longer be Lisanna's forevermore. The princess was heartbroken. Especially since the two had promised to be each others first-time._

 _But Lucy the bitch was not satisfied with her temporary hold over Prince Natsu. Princess Lisanna decided she was going to take a stand for her true love. She confronted Lucy, asking her peacefully why she would do such a terrible thing. The witch merely cackled and said it was to feed her own ego. Then she slapped the princess and threatened her not to tell anyone. So for weeks on weeks, the princess, and the rest of the student body, morosely watched their beloved prince chase after her, who clearly wasn't deserving. This time the princess had to give up. Just when she had, the witch did the most unspeakable thing._

 _One day on her way home, the princess was halted and surrounded by a group of grown ass men. They teased her, stole her belongings, then raped her one by one. As they left they shouted, "This is a message from Lucy: Stay away from the prince!" Yes this beastly act, done out of the darkness of one girls heart._

 _She ruined everything. She probably put her filthy lips all over my Natsu. She came in for one semester and she was already the school's princess. She was voted prettiest girl in school by the boys in our grade. She stole all my childhood friends. She had straight A's. Even the teachers were fooled._

 _Any of this sound familiar?_

 _But don't worry. This little fairy tale can still have a happy ending._

 _For me._

 _The police saw to it that those men paid for what they did._

 _And now, so can she._

 _Your eyes are now opened! You the people now know the true nature of the beast, and you can do something about it. Unfortunately Lisanna can't, for the witch has blackmailed her. But now you know Little Miss Perfect isn't as perfect as you all think she is. And now Lisanna might have a chance to get Natsu back._

 _And they'll both live,_

 _Happily._ _Ever._ _After._

 _**The End**_

She looked up from the cell phone, her face as pale as ash like she'd seen a ghost. Oh my Mavis. Her mind couldn't comprehend it all for a minute there. Nothing, absolutely none of the stuff in that text were true. Not a single thing. Yet these boys believed it. _Everyone believed it,_ that's why things were so bad for her today. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the leader spoke.

"Alright boys, I go first."

They held her down. She tried fighting once again but it wasn't working. The boy with the orange hair began unbuckling his pants and zipping down his fly. He hummed in consideration.

"Well, since blondie's got such a big mouth, I think I'll do her in _right in the mouth_ If you know what I'm saying. You guys can do what you want with the rest of her."

They all murmured in approval. Lucy wasn't listening.

Rape.

They were going to rape her, and she couldn't do anything about it. Although her throat was hoarse, she tried screaming out one time.

"Na..."

"Now open wide blondie."

"Nnnn..."

Her voice was failing her, this was her last chance, so she to scream the only thing she could think of.

 _"Naaatsuuuuuu!"_

* * *

 **Okay guys, lets aim for 25 reviews!**


	7. Mira's Perception

**Hello everyone! Bet I surprised you guys with that ending last chapter huh? Yeah, it's just like what I was telling my friend, I have _no_ idea where that ending came from. O.0 but that's about the extent of it. There's not going to be any actual rape, or describing of body parts. No, no. And on a different note... 50+ FOLLOWING, over 30 favorites and 28 reviews... nice. You guys are awesome and I'm making a special origin chapter to celebrate! Will I be doing Natsu's or Lucy's? Oh wait, this isn't up for debate silly me~**

 **Oh and lastly, I'm in the process of creating a new nalu story, yeah it's called Guardian Angel. So keep your eyes peeled for that one, I'll publish it pretty soon and would love it if you guys can go check it out and tell me what you think. Okay, drumroll please...**

* * *

 _"... and little Bobbie Joe, was never heard from again."_

 _"Thank you Sarah."_

 _"Back to you Don."_

 _"In more related news, a female Fairy Tail High School student, who wishes to remain anonymous, was sexual assaulted and nearly raped yesterday..."_

 _"Lisanna, turn up the volume on the TV!"_ Mirajane called from the bathroom.

 _"Okay big sis!"_ Lisanna walked over to the television and pressed the + button a couple times. The woman's voice subjectively got louder.

 _"In Village Street in Southeastern Magnolia yesterday, a 15 year old girl was surrounded by eight other teenage boys and cornered into a dark alley..."_

"What did I miss?" Mira asked. She was dripping wet and steam emitted from her body since she just came out the shower. She was wrapped in a towel along with her hair. She sat on a stool by the counter.

"Sis, you're not gonna miss anything, I won't tell you later. You should _really_ go put on some clothes."

Mira waved her off. "Pay attention."

 _"Several witness reports can account to hearing screams in the area, but none of those witnesses claimed to helping the girl."_

"What is the world coming to?" Mira slammed her fist on the countertop. "You hear loud screams like that and shrug it off? I thought adults were smart."

"Mira nee, you have to think about it like this, what was she doing in Village Street anyway? That's the most ghetto part of Magnolia right there. Those people probably hear cries like that, all the time. Besides, she was probably asking for it to happen to her." They tuned into the news report once again.

 _"...taunted her once more, until a police car on its routine patrol, with senior officer Julie Roberts and Officer in Training Erza Scarlet, who is also a student at Fairy Tail, heard the screams and entered the scene. The male offenders attempted to flee but O.I.T, Erza Scarlet gave chase and successfully captured one. His name is Jet Anderson and is currently being held in prison until his trial. As for the other seven offenders, their names will be listed here, there is a warrant out for their arrest."_

"Alrighty, I think I've had my fill of rapist stories for one day." Lisanna eased off of the stool she was sitting on. She removed the plate which she ate breakfast out of, along with the cutlery and glassware. She pecked her sister on the cheek on her way to the sink and did it again on her way out the door.

"Bye Mira nee, I'm off to go shopping with Juvia and Levy. Don't forget to wake up Elf-ni-chan and put on some warm clothes - out here is cold!"

She giggled. "Okay sweetie bye!"

"Oh yeah, I just remembered, Laxus called. He's going to be here in about... 12 minutes. Okay bye-bye!"

"What!? Lisanna wait!" But the girl had already slammed the door shut behind her. Mira sighed.

 _"The victim suffered some serious wounds to the head, but is currently at the hospital right now, listed in 'stable' condition. Now for the weather."_

Mira took the remote and turned the T.V off. She unwrapped the towel that was seized over her head. Her white mane dropped to her back, it was now only slightly damp from the dripping wet it was earlier. Nothing a blow dryer couldn't fix.

"Better go wake up Elfman." She said quietly. If Laxus was coming it was more than likely Evergreen and the others would be coming too. Step by step, she trudged up the stairs, her thoughts weighing down on her. All she could think of is the poor girl who almost got raped. That, and all the bad vibes she got from listening to the news report.

Why did she have such a bad feeling about this?

Like there was something so painfully obvious she was missing. Like being blissfully unaware of murder happening in her own house. There was something about the news story that tickled the wrong strings in her.

 _Think Mirajane..._

 _Ding-Dong!_

The doorbell rang, effectively snapping her back to her own reality. Was Laxus here already? She entered her brother's messy room, carefully tip-toeing over smelly socks and dirty underwear. She looked over on his nightstand, apart from a family portrait, one or two of his school books, an empty chip bag and an empty cup there was a single picture of him and Evergreen together last summer on the beach.

Mira smiled warmly.

 _Ah, young love._

 _Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong!_

Laxus, or whoever it was at the door, was growing rapidly impatient. So she quickly did her usual wake up routine for Elfman. She held her big muscular brother in a man hold wrestling style, and flipped him over and slammed him on his back.

Never underestimate the raw inhuman strength of Mirajane Strauss.

Leaving the boy groaning in pain, she nimbly side stepped back down the stairs, she still pondered on the event that continued to make her senses tingle. She racked her brain for a answer to her question. Then it hit her. And it hit her hard.

 _Lisanna._

Obviously, it had been right under her nose the whole time.

 _"Sis, you're not gonna miss anything, I won't tell you later_."

She tried to chase her away from the T.V. She eagerly defended the bystanders who did nothing to help the girl. Then suddenly she had to go with Juvia and Levy? Since when had they become "best friends" anyway? As she approached her front door she finally found the answer she had been searching for all morning. She took the key in the lock, turned the it to the right, undid the chains and swung the door open.

 _Lisanna knows._

"Lisanna knows... what?" Laxus said inviting himself into Mira's home. As anticipated Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen followed him right after. They made themselves comfortable on the stools by the the island kitchen's counter.

"She knows something. Really important, and I don't think she wants me to know about it. Have you guys heard the story on the news yet about-"

"Seen it. And so has everybody else who goes to our school. It's all over social media."

Mira nodded.

"Something like this has never happened before at our school. Our reputation is so squeaky clean." Freed said.

"Yep, that and coupled with the fact that everyone in this town is nosey." Evergreen said poking at her nose.

Mira nodded her head intently. _I see, I see._ That's when she suddenly noticed the blanket of silence in the room. She looked up at the quartet they were all staring at her blushing.

 _"S-s-s-s-sis!"_ Mira looked at the end of the staircase to see Elfman blushing at her then covering his eyes. She shivered a little. It was suddenly very cold.

"Hey, you guys noticed that sudden draft in the room?"

And it was in that horrifying moment, she realized the towel she was wearing had dropped. When she realized she took the child's position and crouched down covering up her body. She took in a deep breath and let out a scream.

 _"K_ _yaa_ -"

I'll save you all the gory details and just say she screamed so loud and high pitched, that all the dogs in the nearby area began howling. _Yeah_.

* * *

At Magnolia General Hospital, pink haired heart throb Natsu Dragneel was pacing baking and forth in the waiting room along with one of his best friends and the girl he considers as his second older sister, Erza Scarlet. And his actual sister Cana. He paused his pacing for a moment.

"What's wrong?" His sister asked.

"Nothing, it's just I feel... _a disturbance._ Like a supersonic cry was let into the atmosphere."

Cana raised an eyebrow but didn't question it further.

Little did everyone else know, contrary to the news report, Natsu was actually in that cop car yesterday. While the officers were chasing down Jet and the others, he sprinted from the back seat and headed straight for Lucy's side. He met her knocked out. So frantically, he lifted her up princess style and jogged with her in his arms straight for the nearest hospital.

That's how come there was space for Jet Anderson in the backseat.

Never before, had Natsu been so glad to trust his instincts and rebel against his older sister. His original intent was to let her cool off until the next day, but he just couldn't stand to leave things between them the way they were until the next day, so he quickly went back after her and hopped, treetop to treetop to her mansion in the heart of the woods. He knocked on her window, she wasn't there, she didn't respond. He decided to wait it out a couple of minutes, after all she might have been in the bathroom or something. But after what it seemed like an eternity he deduced that she wasn't home. So now he was on the hunt. He searched in 24 hour cafés, he searched in roadside department stores, he even checked Levy's house. No sign of her. He justifiably began to panic.

Where could she be?

It was getting late, but Cana would understand when he would explain it to her.

Eventually.

During his panicked attack he noticed a cop car, sirens blaring, and it pulled up right next to him.

Shit.

He couldn't afford to be arrested now. But I guess the long arm of justice finally caught up to him. He put his hands in the air.

"Okay boys, I know my rights," He said in a western cowboy accent. "Just take me away."

The two women in the car exchanged skeptical glances with one another, until Erza screwed down the window and told him to get in the car. He opened his eyes and was delightfully relieved to see Erza sitting in the front seat. He forgot she was a CIT (cop in training). As he climbed in the backseat, he mentally chastised himself for giving himself up so easily to the cops. Make a mental note Natsu, next time you see a cop car, run for dear life. They drove all across Magnolia, he visited places in his hometown, he didn't even know existed. Then they entered Village Street. It was one of the more _urban_ areas of Magnolia. It tended to produce alot of criminals and the people who lived in the houses and neighborhoods were usually very poor and lived in poverty-stricken conditions.

Even with the light chatter and laughter in the front seat, even with the sirens calling out, he still heard it. He heard his name through it all. And from a voice that sounded exactly like-

" _Lucy_! Stop the car!"

Both uniformed women were a bit muddled at first, but Erza trusted Natsu and she nodded for her supervisor to do the same.

And the rest is history, as they say. When the pair arrived, Lucy was rushed to the _ER._ A woman with short pink hair and a maid outfit on rushed in with tears in her eyes asking for a "princess". To which Natsu replied there was none. But the nurse guided the woman someplace, probably to where this "princess" was. Then a couple hours later, a white and gold upscale limousine pulled up to the front. Everyone who was on the inside, fluttered to their windows and doors to catch a glimpse of this V.I.P who was now parked in front of the hospital.

Out came Jude Heartfilia one of the richest men in Fiore and definitely the most powerful man in Magnolia. What was he doing here? Following him were three scary looking men, all with tuxedos, shades, and earpieces for a phone on. He stepped into the hospital doors, his presence was amazing, everyone who's head wasn't turned surely turned it then. Even Natsu's. Especially Natsu's. So much so that he didn't even notice when his sister stomped in angrily behind the man and his entourage.

"Cana!" He cried.

"Natsu Malik Herosa Dragneel Clive!"

"Cana!" The boy blushed mortified.

Another passerby in the waiting room snickered. " _Herosa?"_

Said girl sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't ever learn..."

As you could imagine she was very displeased. First he ducked all his classes and didn't breathe a word to her. Now he did it again. Erza came to his defense. She explained the situation to her best friend. And she apologized for not telling her sooner. She decided to wait with two of them. Eventually night came that day, just like any other, and Natsu had to leave.

Fast forward to the next morning, the present, after he heard the cancelation of school, Natsu was the first one through hospital doors.

She hadn't woken up since yesterday, and the story made it to the news really fast. They said she was "stable" condition, but stable didn't mean okay. He had to go in there and see Lucy but they weren't allowing her to see visitors at the time. To release some of his anxiety he began pacing in the waiting room.

He was growing increasingly irritated every moment. He stomped back to the woman at the front desk. He didn't get a chance to utter a single word and the woman shut him down. They've been through this routine several times for the morning.

"Umm, excuse me miss, but is-"

"No."

"You didn't let me finish my sentence! Is-"

"No."

"Is Lucy-"

"Look kid, this is the fifth time you came to my desk asking the same question. If my answer didn't change the first four times, then it certainly ain't about to change now. _Nooooooo._ With a big fat 'O'. You have to wait. Now shoo, leave me alone to text my boyfriend or I'll call security."

His veins throbbed, he clenched his fists. A dangerous low growl emitted from his throat. The woman visibly began trembling.

 _Fuck that shit!_

As he was about to do something to the receptionist he would regret later, Erza's hand blocked the pathway of his fists before it reached the desk.

"Natsu. _Calm. Down."_

He closed his eyes.

" _You need get in control of your emotions._ Getting angry isn't going to help Lucy recover any faster. _Do not let your anger consume you Natsu._ If you do something to this woman, I'll have to assume the worst Natsu. I'll have to put you in jail."

The last statement seemed to calm him down significantly. He kept taking deep breaths as she spoke and he calmed down significantly. Erza looked back at the receptionist who looked like she'd seen a ghost, and excused the both of them. She put her phone to her ears.

"Yeah mom, I'm definitely switching jobs. Why? This front desk thing has become a little too real for me."

Erza dragged the boy with her to a corner of the room. With much force.

"Natsu, I need your help with something, and it pertains to Lucy."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

* * *

While checking herself out in the mirror, making sure her hair and makeup looked okay, Mirajane Strauss was securely fastened her white leather belt to her black leather mini dress. Once she was completely satisfied, she headed for the door. She closed her eyes tightly, then pressed her ears against the door. There was lots of noise and chatter coming from downstairs, even the familiar tune of Elfman and Evergreen arguing. Just as she was about to turn the doorknob and leave, the doorknob turned by itself.

 _"What..."_

Before she even processed what was going on Laxus stepped into her bedroom uninvited, might I add. He made himself comfortable on her matress. Just as she was about to kick him out she remembered this was the boy that just saw her ass naked like thirty minutes ago.

 _Fuck._

"What's your problem?" He said.

"That's what I should be asking you. Why are you in my room?" She asked obviously blushing.

He stood up and walked over to where she was. His overpowering presence made her weak in the knees. Her heart started pounding loudly in her chest. He was so close she felt and heard his breathing on her and it made all the butterflies in her stomach flutter. Her blood was coursing rapidly through her veins. She hated this feeling and loved it, all at the same time.

He rested his forehead on top of her hers, only making her heart beat faster, and he closed his eyes.

"Look, I didn't come over today just to hang with you out like we usually do. As... _friends."_ He uttered the last word really bitterly. He squeezed his eyes tighter then took another deep breath, as if he were carefully thinking on his next choice of words.

" _Uh-huh..."_ She said, egging him on, hanging on for dear life to his every word.

"Look you know how... um, how should I put this? You know how Romeo has Juliet? And Jasmine has Aladdin. Uh, peanut butter and jelly, umm, uhh, Natsu and Lucy, even. Well, Mira-"

"Hold on Laxus. Say that last part again?"

"What you mean the Natsu and Lucy thing? I only used them as an example, seeing as they're so close and all. But-"

"No Laxus," She moved away from his touch and walked around the room. "I think you just gave me the answer! Natsu and Lucy! Now it all makes sense!"

"Wha-"

"Now that I figured it out, I really have to go so _bye!"_ She squeaked the last part and quickly scurried down the stairs leaving a rejected Laxus alone in her room. She hopped down the stairs like a rabbit, letting her bangs cover up her eyes but the blush still prominent on her cheeks. Although the she-demon may have been good at setting other people up for romance, ironically enough, she was very bad at romance of her own.

Still in the room, Laxus punched the wall on the area were Mira once was standing. _Stupid!_ He scolded himself. _I knew I shouldn't have barged into her room like that, no wonder she ran away from me._

He ran his fingers through his long spiky hair.

What a pain.

Just when he had gathered enough boldness to ask her to the dance too. Stupid girl. She should just say yes and get this over with already.

He left the room and made sure to lock the door behind him. Picking up his coat from the floor he sulkingly walked door the stairs, picking up his head for one moment, he that everyone was gone. They probably all decided to follow Mira on her adventure.

"Come on Laxus!"

Well, everyone except Freed.

The blonde begrudgingly walked to the door where Freed was impatiently tapping his foot ready to go where the others were. When Laxus miraculously made it out the door that day, his best friend locked it with the key that Mira gave him and headed for his car.

"Laxus, what's wrong with you man? You been acting like a big wimp ever since you came downstairs. What- wait, don't tell me, _did you_?"

Laxus nodded his head, getting into the passenger side of the convertible.

"And did she...?"

He nodded his head once again.

"Oh... _oh..._ I'm sorry Laxus." Freed started the engine and put the gear on 'drive'. There was a long silence between the two of them on the drive to their destination. Finally Laxus broke the silence.

"I'm not giving up on her."

* * *

"I have a theory Natsu, that's someone's out for Lucy's blood." Said boy nodded his head attentively. "You can't deny all the facts Natsu, first, there's the video, then the three girls, now this! I would find it harder to believe that someone wasn't behind all this and it was all just a coincidental series of unfortunate events!"

He nodded his head dumbly. Then he stopped and his face twisted into something real ugly, like he was thinking hard about something. Then, he stared blankly at her.

 _"What?"_

She sighed and slapped her hand to her forehead.

"Bad luck."

His mouth fell open and he gave big nods up and down.

 _"OOOOOOHHHHHH!_ Continue."

"Natsu I'm starting to think that the video was very intentional. You two are close right? I'm sure Lucy's told you about the deadline we gave her to prove herself before we took action. At the time, we believed she purposefully recorded the video, but didn't mean for it to get around school. Even I am guilty of that, but I'm ashamed too. I now realize that such isn't the case."

 _"Like hell it isn't."_

"Let me cut to the chase. Natsu, I need you to help me get some inside information to help Lucy. Find out if she has any enemies, or anybody out there with a reason to hurt her. Then report back to me."

"What will you do?"

"Me? I'll be working from the outside of course. I'll be doing my research on the outskirts of the situation while you work from the inside. That way, our force can have the best of both worlds."

"Well Erza, why are you doing all this?"

 _"Erza!"_

Erza looked up to see her best friend running towards her.

"Mira?"

"Erza!" The girl cried again, jumping into her arms. Erza being physically capable, was able to balance Mira's weight and twirl her around in a circle.

"Well what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to confirm something about my sister. But what are _you_ doing here?"

"Oh, I'm here to-"

Erza was noiseless as her attention was turned from Mira to the four men walking the hospital's foyer. Three of them had jet black hair and wore sunglasses and earpieces. All had on tuxedos, and the last one had blonde hair. Mira's eyeballs shriveled up looking at the man Erza was looking at. On their way out, Jude Heartfilia and his entourage accidentally bumped into Laxus and Freed.

Give me a S-C-R-E-W-E-D! What does that spell kids? Laxus and Freed!

The two of them fell to the floor with a thud, along with the two end of the entourage and thesingle most important man in Magnolia.

"Ow!" His voice was deep and precise, "Who are you worthless kids?"

Freed apologized. "Look, we're very sorry sir." He said helping Laxus off of the ground, inwardly Evergreen and Bickslow cringed. The same with Jude as his help picked him up and brushed him off. He stared intensely at Laxus.

"Oh I know who you are, you're the rumored grandson who thought he could take over his grandfather's job. Cocky little shit, aren't ya?"

He looked over at Freed, then at Bickslow, Evergreen, Elfman, Mira, Erza and Natsu.

"You're all Fairy Tail High students." His voice was full of disgust. _"No wonder."_ He sneered. They were all giving him angry stares, escpecially Natsu.

"It still baffles me that my little Lucy wanted to go there. You all know Lucy right? I'm guessing that's why you peasants are all here."

He took their shocked silence as consent. Everyone dared not say anything. That's when Natsu uncovered something else that day.

This man is a total _bitch._

Jude continued.

" _I mean Holy Mavis,_ what does she see in that dump? I could transfer her to any private school in the country, get her the best of the best in education, yet she decides to waste all her potential at some half-paced totally average school."

He turned his attention to Mira and Erza. "I see that Lucy isn't the only young lady that likes to waste their potential."

He took a sizing look at an angry Natsu, and unlike his light mocking attitude earlier, he seemed greatly distraught. Natsu looked very familiar.

"Sir you're going to be late for your meeting." One of his men said.

"Well then, it's been nice getting acquainted with all of you, but I have better places to waste my time. _Adios_." He left, just as powerfully as he did when he arrived.

There was a long silence with the friends. Laxus and Freed were still very shocked and tried to absorb the situation just now. Elfman, Ever, Freed and Bickslow were shocked seeing the true colors of this well beloved man. Mira and Erza were staring into space, each consumed in their own thoughts. Natsu stood there and seething with rage. That man just stood, there and insulted his family, his friends, his home and Lucy.

 _Calmness be damned!_

He vowed to himself standing in that spot, that the next opportunity he got, this man will definitely pay.

Mira finally asked the question that was plaguing all of their minds.

"Umm... _what was that?"_

 _"Umm_ excuse me." A small voice from behind tapped Natsu.

"What?" He steeled himself to face the rude woman from earlier.

"Miss Ashley is ready to see visitors now."

Then Natsu remembered why he was there in the first place, and in no time, he broke off running.

* * *

 **Dun dun duuuun... That's for reading and again please look out for my new story, Guardian Angel, (shameless self promoting, my conscience says, girl with no shame, I reply to back). Luv ya, bye!**


	8. 50 Follower Special

_50+ Follower Special_

 _This chapter is dedicated to those 50+ people who's going to see this in their alerts._

* * *

I don't know what this guy sees in me. I honestly don't know why he sticks around. I'm almost always rejecting his romantic gestures, and I constantly remind him of his permanent residency on my hit list.

So why?

Why does Natsu Dragneel favor _me_? Why is this strange boy always by my side? Why is he there at the times when I need him the most? Why is he constantly saving me, like he did now?

And why is he so gun-hoe about this idea on the two of us being together?

I mean c'mon, it's not like I have low self-esteem or anything, but just take a look at half of the girls that go to my school. They all look like Victoria secret models or something. Absolutely sexy. Not to mention any of them would give up their right arm just to have a date with Natsu.

And then, take a look at me.

I'm not knocking myself off or anything, but my face looks exactly like it did when I was five years old. Literally, if you look at my family portrait when I was five and mom was still here, then look at all recent selfie I took, you would see, I have the same little kid face, a cute kid mind you, but still. Kid face.

Whereas taking another look the girls at my school, they all these have mature, beautiful, adult looking faces, the slanted eyes that I wish I had, and their naturally perfect shaped eyebrows, you wouldn't even spare me a second glance. Sure, I have an generous amount of chest and curves, but so do the rest of the girls. Even the girls who have less chest than me I envy, because one, I heard when I get older my breasts would deflate like a pair of over blown balloons, two, these things always seem to attract the wrong attention even though I always wear baggy clothes, and three, they take alot to manage.

Honestly I think I'd be better off with a chest flatter than Levy's.

Lastly, if I was this perfect dream girl of his, as he keeps making me out to be from his fantasies, then why is it, that I want absolutely nothing to do with him? Yes, perhaps my attitude towards him may be a bit biased and I could maybe open my feelings to him a little bit and give him a chance, but so far he hasn't proven himself worthy of that either.

He's always toying with me, one minute the atmosphere between us is lightweight and friendly, the next minute he's got me pinned up a wall whispering sweet nothings on my skin, making me blush. Okay, maybe this didn't actually happen, but it is practically like that. I remember one particular incident.

* * *

 _Flashback_

It was one school afternoon, I don't remember the day of the week, but he had just walked me home from school. Well, I walked while he, jumped treetop to treetop. But anyway, we were chilling in my room.

"Man Luce, is your room getting smaller, or is it just me?" He said flopping on the bed. I could hear the springs cry out in pain. I winced for them.

"Perhaps if you didn't freeload as much in my room, then you wouldn't be able to size it up every time you came over." I said.

"Aww, c'mon Luce," He came over and slung his arm over my shoulder, "We've been over this, your bed is like a gazillion times more comfortable than mine. That's why I love sleeping here, _duh_."

 _Yeah right._

"Stop making excuses," I removed his arm from around my neck. "Sleep in your own home!" But, I might as well have been talking to a brick wall, because Natsu plopped himself right back on my bed while I was speaking. _Mavis_.

Why can't I just get him to leave?

I sighed. "Hey, you thirsty?" I asked, after all he had been hopping from trees all afternoon to make sure I was safe. He lifted an eye lid to look at me. "Got any juice?" I smiled and nodded my head.

Curse my hospitality.

Now he'll never go home.

As I go out my room on my way to the kitchen, I noticed the mansion seemed very... _vacant._ I knew my dad was away at the time but even if by the odd chance he carried some of the staff with him, there would still be maids cleaning, or doing laundry, or the cooks would be cooking and all that good stuff. Things that my dad leaves for them to do.

Me, on the other hand I'm very independent. I don't like people doing things for me, especially things I probably can do on my own. And I know it drives the staff bat shit crazy. It always has. But that's just the way it is. I'm not going to change. After I retrieved a can of Bluebird Apple juice from the fridge, I turned around to be face to face with my personal maid, Virgo.

"Hello princess."

"Virgo, where's everybody else?"

"They all went to a party at Ms. Sphetto's old house."

"And didn't invite you?"

"I chose to stay. In case of emergency. In case I need to beat someone up."

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyway princess, ring your bell if anything goes wrong okay? If you're thirsty or hungry, or cough, rape, cough."

Yeah that's right. She didn't bother to cough, she just said the words cough.

"Okay then... thanks Virgo...?"

"You're welcome Princess."

I shivered as she disappeared into the darkness again. Virgo can be creepy as fuck when she's ready.

Absent-mindedly I walked back into my room. What I meet is a half naked Dragneel lying on my bed, no shirt, no shirt of any kind, steam eminating from his body, and towel was wrapped around his neck. Did he just take a shower in here?

 _"Did you just take a shower in here?_ Boy I know your nasty ass didn't just up and take a shower in my bathroom without my permission."

Ignoring me, he let out a moan, still lying on his back he turned to face the window. I face palm. Remember Lucy, brick wall, learn your lesson.

"Hey Luce my back is killing me," He says, "Can you give me a massage please?"

What I'd like to do is stick a pole up your ass, but we can't all get what we want, now can we? But my nicer half was tugging at me telling me to be nice considering how much he helps me. And my nicer half also reminded me how much I appreciated him. Damn. I hate the fact that she was right, curse my niceness.

So with a big sigh, and a heavy heart, I slowly began to massage his back, working my fingers into his back muscles. I moved ever so slowly around his back so to work out any knots and tension in his back, a trick my mom taught me. I didn't notice it at first but he was purring. Then it would occasionally switch to a little moan, then it would go back to purring again. He turned his head so it was facing me. His eyes opened slightly and looked at me. I blushed.

His eyes were shrouded in lust.

Maybe this was a mistake?

But before anything could really happen he began to move, so I stopped. He stretched and looked at me. "My back feels a million times better! Lucy you have the hands of an angel." I blushed.

"Thanks."

"Okay Luce, now lemme give you a back rub."

"Um, sure."

So I lay down, whiles he sat up and made an 'attempt' to give me a massage. God, I should have asked him if he knew how to give a massage first. He totally _mutilated_ my spine with his violent karate chops. When I got up I felt like I was touched by a demon. I looked a Natsu's hands in terror, while he looked a his hands in pride. I bet he thought he did a good job. I tried to sit up, but _my back_!

I let out a small cry of pain.

"Lucy! Oh no, um, lay back down, I'll fix this."

I did as I was told. Then suddenly, Natsu touched my back, I winced. He looked around and his face lit up when he spotted something. He got a candle, took out a lighter from his pocket and put the candle on fire.

"Natsu put that candle out." I don't want to start any fires.

"I work better when something's on fire."

Well that's good to hear... in my house... in my room... full of flammable things.

Just as I started to protest Natsu started rubbing my back. I felt all the pain healing and the warmth of his hands on my back. Was he doing an act earlier? This boy knows how to massage!

My back felt... _amazing._ Let me just say, if Natsu felt like he got touched by an angel, then I got touched from God.

He suddenly stopped. So assuming he was finished I sang my praises.

"Natsu you have the hands of an angel! My muscles are so loose and you removed tension in my body I didn't even know was there! I turned around to be face to face with Natsu.

"What are yo-"

Within a span of 0.5 seconds he pinned me down on my bed and cut me off.

" _Tell me Lucy, just what exactly you think would happen after I was done massaging your back?"_

My heart stopped.

"Natsu what's wrong with you so suddenly?"

 _"I mean any guy in their right mind would want_ something _after all that hard work."_

His head was lost in the crook of my neck wherever his nose touched my skin it left a trail of goosebumps.

"Lucy, you smell really good. I could almost eat you up..."

"Natsu..."

"Tell me Luce."

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me what you were thinking when you let me in your house. A fully developed teenage boy, who's twice as strong as you and a fully working penis."

"..."

"If I wanted to rape you, I could do it right now."

"You wouldn't..."

"Didn't you tell me your room is soundproof?"

"Natsu, this isn't funny! Let me go right now!"

I tried to break free from his grip but shoots, it seemed like he had fists of steel.

"Don't bother struggling. You're muscles are all relaxed, you can't break free. So what are gonna do Lu?"

I stared at him. The question was, what was he gonna do to me?

 _"Natsu... I... I thought I could trust you..."_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

"I'm not going to do it. I just wanted to show you how dangerous a teenage boy can be."

What?

He climbed off of me and began gathering his stuff scattered around my room.

"It's a trick I learnt from Loke, once you massage a girl, you can basically get her to do anything. I just wanted to show you, so you would know better if any of them came asking for a massage."

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Oh yeah, I also _exaggerated_ some of the cookies in your mini fridge. Peace."

He jumped out of my window before I could properly take in what had happened. When I did, I took a pillow and threw it after him.

"I hate you!"

Angry, I lay there quietly in the darkness for a while. I could feel the frown etched upon my face. Was I... _disappointed_ he left? It can't be... can it? Don't I know already that Natsu's a tease, and any advances he makes on me, I know better now not to think anything of it. But didn't I always know that?

 _Aaargh!_

Stupid Natsu, I know better than to do things like that with other boys! What do I look like huh? Besides...

I only did all that...

"For... _you_..."

I'm an idiot.

 _End of Flashback_

* * *

He would always do things like that to me. He knows I blush easy, so he likes to flirt and tease and test his limits to see how far he can go with me before I finally push him away. I guess if anything I see Natsu as the annoying little brother type. Speaking of annoying, another thing that he likes to do to me that annoys the _shit_ out of me is hoard me. I honest to goodness swear, it's like this boy is a... is a... he's like a dragon! That's what it feels like! Like he's a dragon and I'm his treasure and he's hoarding me away from the rest of the world. He doesn't like it when I talk and hang out with Gray and Gajeel, and he absolutely detests any time I spend with Loke, but Loke is actually an old friend of mine and I knew him longer than anybody else in that school so it's only natural I talk to him more right?

Apparently not.

He would always butt in and glare his friend down and drag me away, or call me his wife, or say something about me being off limits. Then, I'd have to stab him with my elbow, or jam my heel on his baby toe, or kick him where the sun don't shine. No, but seriously he acts as if I'm his property!

Now hypothetically speaking, let's just say we were a couple. Now, I'm not saying I _want_ us to be a couple, or that I could _live_ with the _idea_ of us as a couple, or even _imagine_ it in a pleasant light. No, just a hypothesis. Say we were dating, it wouldn't be fair for him to be so possesive of me, when he's by far the worst one out of the two of us. I swear he flirts with every moving breathing thing with a female gender. In fact, nobody can say my hatred and accusations of him are unjustified because I've caught him in the act.

Matter-of-factly, if I'm not mistaken that was also the first time we met. And it was then, the cycle started.

* * *

 _Flashback_

The first day at my new school Fairy Tail High. I'm so nervous, I forget to breathe in and out every so often. I keep tip toeing, searching for my new friend who I made over the summer. Out of the sea of people, I spot her wild, blue mane. Just barely though, she's a really short girl.

"Levy!"

"Lucy!" We both ran out and hugged each other. "You're really here! You're actually at Fairy Tail!"

"Told you I was coming. Goodness, I'm just so glad to see you, Levy, you don't even know."

With casualties out of the way, we began roaming the halls, searching for the bulletin board that told all the 10th graders where their home rooms were. Every so often she'd point things out to me, like the bathrooms that only the misfits use, or the teachers who were the most hated among the students, or the classrooms where the teachers and administration would sit around and gossip.

During our mock tour, we saw a group of girls screaming and running past us.

"He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here!"

"Did he come to here really?"

"Who is this guy Sarah?"

"Who other than Natsu Dragneel silly! He's only _the_ hottest boy in the entire existence of boys! And he's finally arrived at our high school!"

As the three girls ran off, I looked at Levy in cluelessness. I thought the hottest boy in the history of boys was Zac Efron. No wait... nevermind, definitely Zac Efron.

"Don't worry about them Lu, let's continue." And she pulled me away from those girls. Still, I couldn't help but turn around and wonder just who they were talking about.

Natsu Dragneel.

The next day after Levy and I discovered our homerooms, and that they were located on the opposite ends of our grade area I decided to walk to homeroom alone that day. I smiled inwardly to myself. I couldn't believe it.

I'm really attending the school of my dreams.

Whilst thinking these thoughts to myself and noticing that I was getting closer and closer to the number of the room I was supposed to be in, I noticed another stampede of girls.

They were running and screaming and _-holy cow they're coming right for me!_

At least that's what I thought. They ran straight past me and down the hall. I let out a _huge_ sigh of relief. As I tried to see what the commotion was about, all I could see was their heads. But what I also saw was pink, spiky hair that looked like it belonged to a boy.

I swear, what's wrong with the chicks at this school? Looking back up I see a boy lying on the floor from the aftermath of their stampede. I go over to help him up.

"Hey there, are you alright?"

The kid looks at me and fixes his glasses.

 _"Hello?_ " I ask, getting a little annoyed.

"You're so pretty..."

I blushed at the compliment. Inwardly I patted myself on the back.

 _Alright Lucy, score! Yay me!_

He took my out stretched hand and got up. "Sorry, it's just... I'm not used to pretty girls talking to me. My name is Dan by the way."

"My name's Lucy. Nice to meet you Dan."

We chitchatted a little more and he guided me to my homeroom.

When I turn around to my class, after waving goodbye to Dan I see a boy with pink spiky hair standing in the doorway of my homeroom.

Okay, forget everything I told you about Zac Efron. This boy standing in the doorway of my homeroom is the hottest boy in the existence of boys. I mean, this boy standing in front of me is a work of art, he is _beautiful._

 _"Natsu are you coming inside?"_ I heard someone say.

This boy is _Natsu Dragneel !_

And he's in my homeroom?!

 _Go me_.

But pink hair? An odd color, but it works for him.

The very next day, Levy finally told me the story of the notorious Heartbreaker Natsu Dragneel. I could, and couldn't believe my ears at the same time.

"Natsu is a big flirt. I've known him for years. We've been going to the same schools since preschool. Trust me Lu-chan, I'm your best friend, so take it from me, you _do not_ want to to get involved with him."

Even with this warning I still couldn't stop my heart from fluttering, every time I could sight of his pink hair and cute face in the hall.

In fact, when I looked up after thinking that very same thing, I see his flamboyant pink hair and cute face.

I guess he sees me too. He gives me this confident looking smirk and my heart races a mile a minute.

Mavis, is this what love feels like?!

Days passed and soon ended the very first week of school. Back then, I was kind of "brand new" and didn't realize what I was doing or what was really going on.

So first thing Monday morning I came with my head all swollen cause I was sure that he liked me too. I didn't realize.

Because the first thing I saw when I walked into the school that morning. I saw him, he had a girl standing by the wall he was leaning over her and he used the exact same line on her as he used on me last Tuesday.

"Hey baby, I heard you're good at algebra, can you make my ' _x'_ go away without asking _y?_ "

That's when I realized he was a dirty, stinking player and from my anger I just shouted the first thing that came to my mind.

 _"Fuckboy!"_

He and the girl turned around to see me storm off. I just don't know what came over me to make such a big scene back then. But I know he was embarrased it was the only thing the students could talk about since then. I don't know why everyone was so angry with me, I simply stated facts and called him out on it. Simple.

But despite all of that I was determined to still be the best I could be and make my Momma proud. But I don't know if she ever told me how to deal with annoying, stalker boys.

That's right he started stalking me.

Whenever I would go to classes, he's there, that time when I saved Dan from bullying, he was there, that other time when I saved a teacher from a vicious prank the students played on her, and when I won my award for the highest GPA in the 10th grade. But granted, the rest of the tenth grade was the too. But whatever, he saw everything.

At that moment I no longer wanted anything to do with him and his ways.

Oh Mavis, then it got worse. The bumping into me between classes thing, started. Mavis.

"Look _Natsu_ , I don't like you. So please stop following me."

"Look I just wanna talk to you."

"Well I _don't."_

"Why?"

I didn't answer him. My contempt grew more and more for him seeing how many hearts he breaks daily. I realized he was only chasing after me for fun. And I told myself as long as I lived that I would never like Natsu Dragneel. Ever.

* * *

So there you have it. My two cents on the situation. These are the reasons why I think Natsu and I wouldn't make a good match, why I don't romantically like Natsu Dragneel, and also why I hate him in the first place.

.

.

.

Who am I trying to kid?

Now that I know Natsu a little bit better now, and I think I can say in all honesty that Natsu's one of the most kindest, generous, honest, sweetest, a bit overprotective, way too cocky, and a little goofy, but that's what makes him funny, guys I know. Wow, did I really just say that? Yeah I guess I did. But I guess because it's true (Not that I'll ever admit this to him to feed his already overly inflated ego). And I only said all that stuff earlier because I'm well, a little insecure. Who would've guessed huh? I mean surely someone so nice with a face like that couldn't be attracted to someone like me. Not only am I as plain faced as they come, but I have a terrible attitude problem. So the question remains, why does he like me? Even as a friend.

I was derailed from my trail of thoughts by a knock on the door. Right, I'm still in the hospital on accident emergency after almost getting raped yesterday. The knocking on the door ensued. I hope it wasn't my father again, he already came in and said what he needed to say. I reached over and pressed the button that activated the intercom outside. It kind of worked like a walkie-talkie.

"Hello?" I asked.

 _"Miss Lucy, you have a visitor."_

"Let them in."

After that the door buzzed open, by the nurse followed by Natsu.

"Natsu!" I felt my face light up as he entered the room. He saw me and plunged right into my open arms, which by the way I didn't even know when I extended them. "Luce!" He cried, "Thank god you're awake!" He hugged me so tightly, the air was literally squeezed out of me. But I didn't care, I was just so glad to see Natsu after everything that happened. I hugged him back as tightly as I could to return the favor.

 _"I missed you."_

We both slightly parted from the hug to stare at each other. Then I noticed Natsu looking particularly suprised and a slight blush dusted his cheeks. That's when I realized that _I said those words._ A deep blush engulfed my cheeks. We both looked at each other then I looked at the floor, then back at him again, then back at the floor but I glanced at him one more time, then...

" _Ahem_." The nurse broke us out of our trance. Natsu turned to her, annoyed.

 _"What?!"_

The nurse rolled her eyes and left. "You're welcome."

The awkward silence that followed right after she closed the door made me wish Nurse Lily never left. Natsu and I separated.

"You know, before you leave, you should really go apologize to that nurse for being so rude."

He didn't answer me. He just kept his face turned and his head down. I leaned my head to see what he was trying to hide from me.

I chuckled.

He had this cute looking pout on his face, still irritated I presumed and a light blush on his cheeks. He looks like a child angry at his parents. I couldn't help it, it was too funny, I burst out in fits of laughter. He stopped confused for a minute and laughed along with me.

I bet the idiot didn't even know what he was laughing at. But that's okay, since he was only laughing with me. When we were finally done with our laugh fest and settled down, he began freaking out.

"Lucy are you alright?! You don't look like you're on your deathbed so that's good. The surgery went well I take it. But I hate that there are stitches in your forehead because of them. Damnit Lucy I'll kill the bastards who did this to you!"

"Natsu, Natsu, Natsu... calm down!"

"I can't calm down! I... can't calm down. I was worried sick about you Lucy. Ask Erza."

He took his arms and wrapped them around me again. But this time the hug was different. Like a welcome home hug, a hug full of warmth and emotions. A hug that was full of love. A hug that made my cheeks get warm. A hug that went on for a little too long.

He _really_ cares about me.

Which makes me feel worse, considering I'll never care for him the way he does for me. Which makes me go back to what I was saying earlier. Which makes me wonder... _why?_

I pushed Natsu off of me. "Say, Natsu." I was hesitating under his confused stare. But I had a burning desire on the inside. I needed to know.

"What do you think of me?"

There was a long silence. Then the jerk decides to flick me in my forhead with his fingers.

"Ow!" My hands were already on my head massaging the sore spot. "What was that for?!"

"For asking a stupid question."

"?"

"Obviously, I think you're amazing."

I stare at him. And anxiously he continues.

"Your so strong, going through what you have to go through yet still finding the time to smile and talk and not feel down. I wish I could be as strong as you. When my dad left me, I was just about ready to give up on life. I'm so lame."

I cracked a smile at his little remark.

"And not only that, you're kind, and," (He blushes here, and I don't think I've ever seen him blush so much before) "You're extremely beautiful. You have a heart of gold, unlike alot of weak minded, shallow chicks who goes to our school. You're smart and always always putting me in my place. You're fun and quirky sometimes, you're sassy and sarcastic other times and that's a trait I find I love about you. You're confident and not afraid to speak your mind. Not to me not to anyone."

I kinda wished that last one was true. I'm still afraid to speak my mind to my dad.

"Luce, your kind, generous, honest, caring, loyal, smart, beautiful, independent by all means, and you're awesome to be around."

I blush fiddling with my fingers in the bed. This is embarrassing.

"Overall I'd say you're just about the opposite of me. That's why I'm never going to stop chasing you Lucy. I'm not going to stop no matter how many times you turn me down, or say you hate me I won't stop caring for you or Being there for you-"

"Natsu please stop."

"No Lucy, let me finish."

And I did.

"I stay up late at night thinking about you, and when I do sleep I dream about you. There are times when I wish I could just take you and lock you away forever so no more bad things could happen to you. Yeah, I sound crazy but that's just how much I care about you."

I felt my eyes pooling in with tears. Damnit! I knew I shouldn't have let him finish. There was anot her silence in the room as I turned around to wipe my eyes without him seeing. Damnit! His words have reduced me to tears

"Come here." I say.

 _"Don't hurt me!"_ He squeaks out, raising his arms and his legs in defense.

In that split second, I pulled him towards me, ignoring his plea for mercy, and gingerly gave him a peck on the nose.

He stared at me awestruck and surprised. " _Lucy..."_

With my cheeks on fire, I huffed an turned around.

"Don't get any ideas Dragneel."

At this point my nose is high in the air.

"You're still not my type."

* * *

 **Hello everyone, how yall doing? Okay, yeah sorry for the late update, but a as you all know, Nalu Princess is still a teenager, thus having to be subjected to something called HIGH SCHOOL.** **However, I know I could've updated even earlier but I published my other story, (My Guardian Angel) already and hope that you guys can check it out. Also, I might be on a mini hiatus until after my summer exams, you know so I could update more but I could be wrong. So yeah, I apologize for any mistakes and whatnot and you guys can leave a review. (Hint: I'm gonna do another chapter like this when I hit 100 followers.) I love you all,**

 **Peace!**


	9. On Collision Course

_"The most dangerous people are those who have nothing left to lose."_ \- unknown

* * *

So allow me to give you a recap of the story so far, (since I can't be bothered to update for shit, pardon my french).

 _Lucy Heartfilia is actually the daughter of the richest man in her town. Despite this, she goes to a local high-school named Fairy Tail under the last name "Ashley" to conceal her identity. On Ancestral Appreciation Day, (holiday) a video of her masturbating was played during an assembly for all to see, and her life has been going in a downwards spiral ever since. She's been bullied relentlessly at school, on social media, even in her own home. Right before Lucy falls into the deepest pits of despair, she meets a boy named Natsu Dragneel who's the local school playboy but despite claiming that she hates the guy he helps her out anyways. Right now, he's doing everything in his power to clear her name and also try to woo her. However, during Natsu's work another casualty came up with her; she was almost raped. Now, he has to solve not just one but two problems surrounding her. However, he now joins forces with student council president and a soon to be officer Erza Scarlet, and her best friend, and part-time model Mirajane Strauss who wants to solve the mystery for their own personal reasons. But can Natsu do it for her before it's too late?_

* * *

 **On Collision Course**

All the drama surrounding Lucy and her situations, and the curiosities of everyone else trying to determine who was the rape victim, was inevitably drowned out that Monday as it was finally the first day of Fairy Tail's annual Week of Screams. Students came to school that day with a new found sense of Halloween appreciation and Fairy Tail pride. All the pupils were to come to school dressed up in Halloween costumes that entire week, and on the last day, Friday, there were to come back to the school that evening, dressed up and ready for the masquerade dance.

Everyone was restless and excited.

Roaming the halls that morning were witches and wizards, genies with bottles, ghosts and ghouls. Some dressed up like TV, movie, or storybook characters. Others dressed as celebrities or people who they strived to become. There were so many different varieties of costumes that trying to describe them all would probably take forever and a day.

The three most cunning and clever minds to ever have walked the halls of Fairy Tail, Levy, Juvia and Lisanna were situated in the school theatre, early that Monday morning discussing what had expired over the weekend. Juvia, who was dressed in her mother's old wedding dress and insisted her costume was being "Gray's bride", started the conversation.

"So girls, did you hear the news?" She asked sitting in one of the theatres foldable plush chairs for the audience, being careful not to stain her clothes.

"What news?" Levy asked, taking off her black hat and fanning herself with it. Her costume was a classic witch, black cape, wand, broom and all. She even had on a fake wart for authenticity. "I was too busy doing _youknowwhat_ all Saturday."

Juvia scratched her head (being careful not to mess up the floral arrangements by the veil), genuinely confused.

Lisanna who had been texting away on her phone the entire time, genuinely uninterested, rolled her eyes and put it down. "She means editing the video we took Juvia, come on just how stupid can you be? And Levy, Juvia's talking about the stinking story about the girl from our school who got 'raped' from other boys at our school. Everyone's trying to figure out who it is." She went back to furiously texting on her phone but not before adding a quick _Mavis,_ under her breath. Lisanna, who's costume seemed to be a Leprechaun stripper, was just tired of it all.

No matter what she did to her, Lucy Ashley always seemed to come out on top, or seemingly unscathed. After everything done to her in the past couple of days and weeks Lisanna still did not break her. And it was driving her insane.

Lisanna pulled at her black leather underwear. The parts of her costume consisted of a green padded crop top, underneath a lace overlay which covered her chest, stomach and back. The bottom half, which was very simple, consisted of a frilly green with black leopard print skirt and regular black flat shoes with black knee high stockings with green bows on the top. Oh, and on her head, she wore sort of a green Irish looking hat with cat ear attachments on the top.

Whoo, Erza almost had a cow seeing Lisanna's outfit but decided she would let it slip for today. Lisanna, on the other hand, was loving the attention from the boys, who were staring at her swaying hips intently, and giving her cat calls in the halls. And although she enjoyed being the envy of every girl in school for a while, she still couldn't seem to grab the attention of someone who's attention she really desired.

Mavis Vermillion why couldn't she seem to get Natsu Dragneel? And the masquerade dance was coming soon so she needed to get him on lock before Friday, before anyone else could have a chance to snatch him or something. So, she needed a new plan, and fast.

No, no, no, her state of mind was so fixed, what she really needed was to revamp her system, some fresh new ideas. What she really needed was to find some new accomplices.

After all, Juvia and Levy served their purposes, but now they were officially over welcoming their stay. She stole blondie's closest (and only) friend, so that she would have none and would be officially classified as a loser. And Juvia, who's already existent contempt for Lucy made it easier for Lisanna to reap the benefits from it.

But now, blondie's made some new friends making Levy's role all in all redundant. And Juvia's officially gone soft. She needed someone new. But not some mindless minion like Juvia. Or some smart ass know-it-all like Levy.

But where would she find someone else like that to help her?

* * *

Sitting on the bleachers by the football field early that morning, Gray sneezed.

"Achoo!"

"Hey watch it man!" Natsu yelled.

"Sorry, I just... could've sworn someone was talking about me just now. Weird."

Weird indeed, but Natsu didn't have time to dwell on petty things, for his mind was completely entrapped in other thoughts.

It really happened.

She really did it.

She kissed him.

Lucy Anna Ashley had actually _kissed_ him. Not on the lips or anything, and just on the nose mind you, and it wasn't very long. But his stomache fluttered every time he thought about it... and it fluttered in a very _manly_ way...

SHE KISSED HIM!

If he ever felt discouraged or depressed in his pursuit of this girls heart, then that kiss was all the renewal he needed.

Or in Laman's terms, all the confidence he needed, because he planned to once again ask Lucy to be his date to the masquerade. Although, Lucy was a tough girl to approach. What if he came on too strong and got utterly rejected? He'd die on the inside. He really liked Lucy and didn't want to totally screw things up and lose his relationship with her. What if by the time he asks her she decides he's not worthy of her? What if she likes someone? What if she still rejects him anyway, after all of that because she doesn't like parties or something? She did mention she'd never been to a dance before. Oh mavis.

How does one even fall this deeply in love? He was completely enamored.

And also really sweaty.

Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, sweaty.

So sweaty, in fact that there was sweat droplets from his upper lip. Whenever he was nervous about something, Natsu would sweat. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Gray smiling at him with a napkin in his other hand.

"Hey man, calm down, you'll do fine."

"Thanks." He said taking the napkin and wiping off his face. Gray had been really supportive and friendly towards him after the weekend, at least in regards to Lucy. Natsu figured he finally decided to make a move on Juvia or something. That and the fact that he beat the shit out of him the other day for even insinuating he liked Lucy. Yeah, that'll teach the bitch.

Gray's costume was supposed to be that of a renaissance man. Or perhaps that of an old Scotish poet. He had on a very long, crimson vest with golden edges, reaching down to his knees and closed few inches above his waist on the front, something which leaves his legs free, over a cream-colored shirt, with a prominent collar, whose corners are held in place by buttons, and mildly loose sleeves, ending in cuffs decorated by intricate motifs.

Standing out on Gray's chest is an extremely large, flimsy cravat tie, matching his shirt in color, which consists of three layers of cloth, each growing larger than the one above it, and is secured to his neck by its thinner part, passing below his shirt's collar. Covering his legs are a pair of mildly baggy, light-colored pleated pants, tucked inside light boots with large cuffs. Gray's outfit is completed by a large crimson hat, with a prominent brim curving upwards on the sides and golden edges, matching his vest and mask, which on its upper left side bears an extremely long, massive and spiky pink plumage, falling down from the rear part of the hat and almost reaching down below his back.

Natsu's main outfit consists of a sleeveless, gold trimmed, black waistcoat, often left open and untucked, exposing his bare chest, a gold trimmed, black cloth around his waist that reaches his knees, held by a leather brown belt with an oval-shaped silver buckle, white knee-length trousers, a thick black wristband on his left wrist, black open-toed sandals and the scale-patterned scarf he received from his father, Igneel.

Natsu said he was dressing as a character from one of his favorite characters from one of his favourite animes. However, his friends suspect it was just a lame excuse to show off his six pack and make the girls drool. And the girls certainly weren't complaining.

The bell rang, and Natsu skidded off to go see if Lucy had arrived to school as yet.

Leaving Gray alone with his thoughts sitting on the bleachers by himself.

He stared out at the football field where he and his best friend made many fond memories and tough situations. It was this very same football field where their friendship began.

It could also be the same place where it ends.

He heard three resounding claps.

"What the-"

"Nice acting there Gray Fullbuster. Really, you had me convinced."

Appearing ominously from out under the bleachers was Lisanna Struass.

 _"Lisanna?"_

Just how long had she been there?

The tail extension on the end of her skirt for her costume swayed mischeviously as she sashayed over to him.

"Gray, my _friend._ Don't look so scary. I just want to talk to you."

The raven haired boy raised an eyebrow. She's never really talked to him much in the past, so why start now?

"So Gray, allow me to ask you this question. Friend to friend. Natsu's girl best friend to Natsu's boy best friend."

She made it to the spot right next to him and giving him the most realistic Kitty Cheshire grin he's ever seen, placed her fingers on his own.

Leaning in she said, "You still like Ashley . Don't you?"

He shot her a look.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh don't play dumb with me Fullbuster, I heard what happened between you and Natsu in the fields." She lowered her voice once more. "It was about you liking Lucy."

He snapped back.

"Hey! He and I already worked that out. Besides it was all just a misunderstanding."

She let out a little cackle.

"What?"

"You don't think I'm very bright, do you?"

"..."

"Underestimating me. That's going to be the cause of your demise."

He took off his hat and his mask and looked her dead in the eye.

"Are you _threatening_ me?"

She was slightly taken back by the seriousness in his eyes, but then a mocking grin played on her lips.

"Take a look at this."

She took out her rose-gold iPhone swiped in the unlock pattern and shoved the phone in Gray's face. He looked at the picture on the screen and almost fainted. It was a picture of the upstairs of the cafeteria, Lucy's aquired new favorite place to have lunch. By the looks of it, one could tell it was a screen shot of security camera footage. In the picture, nobody else was upstairs. Nobody but he and Lucy. They were kissing in that picture. Well at least he was kissing her, her eyes were wide open and alarmed and you could tell she was about to push him away.

He remembered that day. He had forced a kiss on Lucy.

And she slapped the shit out of him right afterwards.

But he couldn't control himself. He had lost his cool.

And that's what he was known for.

But shit, if Natsu found out...

Lisanna snapped him back to the present.

"You know, I can honestly see the appeal. I mean, she's smart, she's pretty, she's kind. She's _not_ a stalker, and isn't overly annoying like _some_ people we know."

"How did you get this?" He asked ignoring her words.

"My best friend is a tech prodigy. Hacking into the school's security system and getting the screen shot from the school's surveillance tapes was child's play for Levy."

He gave her the most serious glare.

 _"Oh?_ Is chill boy angry? Are you gonna lose your cool Fullbuster?"

"Now I see why Natsu doesn't like you."

Her playful mocking face turned deadly serious in that split second.

" _Shutup_! Or else with a press of this button, I could send this picture to every single student in this school. Then, all of Fairy Tail will know, Gray Fullbuster is trying to steal his best friends girl, which will not only ruin your life, but also hers. And we don't want that, now do we?"

"..."

"Try and talk your way out of that one Fullbuster. What are you gonna do? Tell Natsu that was a misunderstanding too?"

Gray clenched his teeth and balled his fists.

 _"What do you want?"_ He said lowly.

She smirked victoriously.

"Smart boy."

* * *

"Lucy I hate my life."

Cana Alberona sat next to Lucy that morning during general assembly. The student council had to make a few announcements and officially kick off the Week of Screams.

Cana watched miserably from the back of the assembly hall as Laxus and Mirajane stole secret glances at each other, blushing and looking away, then finally letting their eyes wonder right back to their significant other.

She took another swivel of her drink, tequila and milk.

"They're so fucking cute." She hiccuped. "I hate my life."

Loke, who was sitting on the other side of Cana, gingerly took away her reusable drink container in which she sneaked her alcohol to school in, and rested it on the ground. Lucy giggled and rubbed her friend's back for comfort.

Cana's costume consisted of a dark blue bikini top, white Capri pants and black sandals.

That's it. There's like literally nothing else to her outfit. Just bare.

Moving on, Loke's outfit kind of followed Cana's casual vibe as he only wore black jeans, an orange tee, and a black leather vest. On his feet was a pair of orange working boots and he adorned a gold ring on his finger. Apart from that, the shades and all the piercings in his nose, he just looked like regular old Loke. Although he claimed to be wearing a biker gang uniform.

Lucy's costume was that of a gambler. She wore a red Heart Kruetz one piece that had the Heart Kruetz logo on the left breast. Apart from that she had on black stockings, red heels, white cuffs on her wrists and a pair of popping red bunny ears. Her hair was down and as a finishing touch she made sure to wear red lipstick.

"You know Cana it's not healthy for a girl to be so woozy over a boy like this." Lucy said.

"Especially a lady as gorgeous as you." Loke whispered in her ear and kissed her hand. "Why don't you go out with me? I know how to make a woman happy- _if you know what I'm saying."_

Cana's face contorted in disgust.

"Okay first of all, gross. I'm going to be eighteen in a couple of months so mama's gonna need a _man._ Second, don't you have a girlfriend?"

Lucy's jaw dropped as she looked at him.

He fixed his shirt looking at Cana defiantly. " _I have no idea what you're talking about."_

"Really? So does the name Ari-"

"Okay okay okay! I have a girlfriend and her name is Aries. But promise me you won't tell her what I said Cana, she'd have my ass on a silver platter."

The two girls looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

Natsu entered the assembly hall with Gajeel, both with nervous stomachs and low expectations. Both men were planning on asking someone very important to the masquerade on Friday. Natsu had found Gajeel pacing in the bathroom muttering some incoherent nonsense about "She loves me, she loves me not," whiles picking a perfectly good yellow rose. Natsu couldn't contain his own nerves as well, so they both recognized their similar problems and decided to help each other out.

"I don't see her Salamander." Gajeel said, his neck craned, scanning all the faces present to find the girl he was looking for.

Gajeel was supposed to be dressed up as a blues singer. He wore a white suit, with black shoes, sunglasses on his face and an old timey microphone. All of these and a huge guitar he was hauling with it too.

"But I see Lucy..." Natsu trailed off.

Gajeel looked at his awestruck friend then looked in the direction he was staring at.

 _"Woah... Is she a_ Bunny Girl?"

They began making their way over to the back of the hall, right to the back of where Lucy and the others were sitting. The blonde caught sight of the pinkette and immediately her cheeks flared red and she quickly turned away.

God knows she had to summon every ounce of restraint in her body, not to ogle Natsu Dragneel public. Damn, why did he have to be so fine?

"Morning Luce," He said in an attempt to make casual conversation. He took the seat directly behind Cana so he could make eye contact talking to Lucy. Gajeel did likewise and sat behind Loke.

Despite himself, Natsu couldn't help but cast an appreciative glance at Lucy's curves. He knew already she had a wonderful body, but the school uniform didn't do it justice.

She simply kept her head forward and gave a little nod.

"Hey Natsu," she said quietly hoping not to look back at his abs.

Loke scratched his golden mane in confusion whilst Cana, with raised eyebrows looked between and gave Lucy a knowing smile. A smile at which she blushed at. Gajeel, honestly wasn't giving two shits, and continued to search the room for the Apple of his eye.

 _Perfect, this is perfect Natsu!_ Natsu inwardly said to himself. _Only your closest friends are around and Lucy's sitting right here! Just ask her dumb ass ask her!_

"Umm Lucy..."

She turned around at the sudden nervousness in his voice and his heart jumped into his throat.

"Uhhh, you see umm-"

 _"Natsu! Natsu babe!"_

The five turned around to see Lisanna swaying into the auditorium, followed promptly by Juvia and Levy. Lucy stifled a loud groan.

She plopped herself right in the other empty seat next to Natsu directly behind Lucy. The blonde slowly shrank back in her seat.

 _"Su-su! My best friend! How are you doing?"_ She cried, throwing her body on his in a really "buddy-buddy" position, and acting as if she wasn't recently rejected by him and all was well.

"Lucy, please let me just quickly ask. Will you-"

 _"Shhh!_ Erza's about to speak." She said in an admonishing tone. With that she turned to the front, whipping her hair hard in the process.

Gajeel let out a low whistle amidst the awkward silence suddenly in the atmosphere. Lisanna let out a smug smirk as she clung to Natsu's right arm for dear life. Now it was Natsu's turn shrink in his seat.

This was going to be a long assembly.

 _"Hello, is the mic on? Oh!_ Good morning students of Fairy Tail High! My name is Erza Scarlet, your Student Body President, and welcome to the first day of our annual Week of Screams!"

* * *

 _October 26th; Fairy Tail High School; 1st period_

Levy walked quickly, promptly through the halls of Fairy Tail as the late bell shrilled out for third period, and for many, the last chance to get in the door of the class. You see, most teachers at FT, wether by form or by fashion, tend to lock their doors five minutes promptly after the the initial bell, with no other opportunities to get inside after the second bell, the late bell rang out.

The sea of infinite discord and limbo indefinitely drowned out leaving only the short blunnette with her black bobbing hat, and a few others roaming the halls. She finally made it to her class; history with Mr. Justine. Clasping firmly onto the silver knob, Levy made an attempt to turn it fully expecting it to stay in place... which it did.

Damnit.

It was eerily silent for a few moments in the hallway, but she figured she might as well get used to the silence... and the loneliness.

She walked to the wall adjacent of the classroom and slid down on the floor. She saw a pair of girls experiencing the same challenge with a classroom a few rooms over. She silently watched as the pair jiggled the knob fruitlessly, but then they shrugged and smiled at each other, holding the others hand they made jokes about getting detention that afternoon but stated how they would rather be stuck with each other than to be alone.

Best friends.

The blunnette quickly wiped off the wetness on her cheeks and eyes. Fuck was she crying?

Levy let out a scattered breath and allowed her mind to quickly scamper back to everything that happened that morning. After their little meeting with Lisanna in the school's theatre Levy and Juvia had been duly dismissed. During the assembly when Lisanna had scampered off to throw her dead weight all over Natsu, as with Juvia to Gray, she received a text from the white haired pig, that stated her services will "no longer be required". Basically saying she didn't need her anymore and to stop following her around in school, but not before defacing her character, and calling her a crazy bitch among other things. Then pleasantly reminding her that if she snitched on Lisanna, Lisanna was going to screw her over.

How'd she get herself in this mess?

I mean, she knew the kind of person Lisanna was in the first place, she'd blackmail the fuck out of you to get what she wanted. That's how she got Levy to walk out on Lucy in her most dire time of need.

Then she remembered that certain blonde. And suddenly she stopped second guessing herself.

Levy had never liked the tramp.

Rich, blonde, bitch with big boobs and daddy issues.

In all honesty she was a stuck up brat... and yet the only friend Levy's ever had. Oh how Levy regrets the day, the blonde bombshell walked into her life, that summer Levy was a part time librarian at the local library. She was so nice then, she smiled at Levy with teeth that could outshine the sun. Then she walked up to check out to take home an old Puerto Rican novel and then they started talking and they realized they had alot in common, it was an instant connection. Then Levy and her big mouth, told her her new school, Lucy revealed she would be transferred there next semester, the two exchanged numbers and the rest is history.

They had sleepover after sleepover, Lucy let her stay in her room. She told Levy her biggest secret. And that's when Levy realized the blonde had been screwing her over the entire time.

She was a _Heartfilia._

The bitch was the daughter of the two bloodsuckers that ruined her life forever. It was shortly afterwards, with much thought and very precise, careful planning, that Levy McGarden was going to use this golden opportunity and finally get, what in reality, she should've had a long time ago.

Vengeance.

 _"Hey shrimp. Having fun down there_?"

She jumped startled at sound of the taller male's masculine voice.

"Gajeel!"

She blatantly ignored all the shivers that traveled up and down her spine when he looked down and smiled at her.

Smiles from the usually petulant Gajeel Redfox were few and far in between.

He took a seat in the space next to her. As he positioned himself comfortably, their elbows accidentally touched sending a tingling sensation through Levy and heat spasm through Gajeel. In spite of, neither of them moved their elbows away, secretly craving the contact from the other.

"What are you doing here?"

His eyes flashed widely open then back to normal size again.

"Well actually, I was looking for you to ask a question, but uh... it's not really that important. What are _you_ doing _here?_ On the outside?"

"Late for 's class. What about you?"

He raised a heavily pierced eyebrow in her direction.

She caught onto her mistake. "Right, sorry."

There was a pregnant silence between them.

 _"Soooo..."_

"So what?"

"You know the... dance... on Friday..."

"..."

"Umm, well I was threatened into going by the red haired monster and... and I mean I was looking for some company... so, I was..."

Levy resisted the urge to snuggle into her witch's costume and hide from this whole situation. The bluenette didn't do so well with tension. Instead she settled for a deep red blush to overpower her cheeks in an embarrassed gesture, to what was about to come next.

"I m-m-m-m-mean, if you were _going_ in the first place, I was just wondering if you'd like to, come... with... _me...?"_

After sweating bucketz,

When a full four minutes passed with no response, he gave up.

" _You know what?_ Forget what I said.-"

"What? No, no, no, no, no, no!"

He gave her a small glance at the eagerness in her voice. His cheeks suddenly became assuredly hot when he saw the pink tinted on her cheeks.

"I... was just in a daze. I couldn't believe..."

"..."

The tint on her cheeks darkened when she turned around with a little pout on her lips and stared him dead in the eyes.

"Yes. I cordially accept."

His mute face suddenly burst into a huge grin. _"Gi hee." Then he_ swung his tan, muscular arm casually over her shoulder.

"Trust me shrimp, don't ever get used to silence... or loneliness around me. I'm always going to be here Levy. Especially now that we're going to the dance together."

She turned do look at hkm, eyes watering, cheeks red with a a gaze full of the emotion she was too scared to say.

 _"You called me 'Levy'..."_

"Yeah don't get used to it."

* * *

 _4th period, Mathematics, 10th grade, Mrs Abel_

"Can someone please tell me the answers for the variables _x, y and z?_ " The teacher asked, her eyes scanning the ocean of raised hands. Instead her eyes landed on a certain pinkette who had his head buried in his desk.

"Ah yes Mr. Dragneel. Come up to the board and solve this formula for the class please."

 _"Huh -what?!"_

Natsu's head shot up from staring at his phone resting clandestinely in his lap to be face to face with his very expectant math teacher.

"Come on."

Natsu quickly made it to the board and stared at the formula for solving quadratic equations with sideways glance.

"Is there a problem Mr. Dragneel?"

"Umm, no, nothing really... Nothing except I don't think this is math."

The class let out a little laugh, with Loke, Gray and Gajeel being the loudest.

"Um, what do you mean Mr. Dragneel? I just finished teaching this formula to the class a minute ago... unless of course you were too busy staring at your _phone_ all class time."

Gray choked on his laugh as he let it out. Natsu proceeded to glare daggers and silent promises of a fight at lunch time at the brunette while his teacher wrote on a detention slip. When she was done, she tore it along a dotted line and passed it to him. He dismissed himself from class.

"Also, nice costume Mr. Dragneel."

 _Slam!_

N: **I** **hope you forgive me now, just got kicked out of class.**

Lucy responded immediately.

L: **Not rly, but you did give me a little laugh.**

N: **Luce plz...**

L: **Natsu don't talk to me right now, in chemistry, I would prefer not to blow up the school, thx.**

N: **It's Lisanna isn't it?**

He didn't get a reply, but since the double ticks were blue he knew she'd seen it.

N: **I don't like her Lucy, she's just my best friend that's all.**

She looked at his message then went offline.

"What?"

N: **Lucy?**

* * *

 _4th period, Chemistry_

 _"I don't like her Lucy, she's just my best friend that's all-_ does he even know how stupid that sounds? So what, does that mean she's more important than me?"

"Ashley."

"C'mon, if she's his best friend, where does that leave me?"

" _Ashley."_

" _Idiot..._ and to think..."

"Umm! Lucy Ashley you're thing is about to ex-"

 _Boom!_

 _"Curses!"_

"You know what don't freaking talk to me you got me kicked out of class."

"Yeah, well let's just call it even Luce."

The bedraggled duo roamed the halls together, Lucy smelling highly of dangerous chemicals and Natsu walking a good ten feet away from her in hopes that the stench would stop penetrating his nostrils and go away.

"You know what, Lucy..."

Despite herself the blonde turned to look at him.

"This was actually, one of the shittiest days of my mortal life. I... I just wanted to ask you to the dance, and all this fucking shit happens , you know? First Lis-"

"Natsu, say that last part again."

"Wha- well I was about to say, first Lisanna, then-"

"No, you overgrown idiot! Not that!"

" _Okay, sorry._ Geez, _somebunny's_ angry she smells like a sewage corp."

" _I'm sorry what was that?"_

 _"Nothing!"_

"Natsu quit screwing around! Please, just say what you said before Lisanna and after the 'shittiest' day ever."

"What, you mean ask you to the masquerade? _Oh."_

As soon as the words came out of his mouth his eyes bulged out of its sockets and he turned to look at the woman to which all of his affections were cast. A smile broke out on the blonde's face.

" _Natsu..."_

He winced seeing her wipe the single tears from her eyes.

There was a pregnant silence between them.

"I thought you'd never ask..."

Was that why she was crying?

But his breath hitched.

"Wait, so is that a... yes?"

She finished wiping her tears to give him a mischevious look.

"I don't know Dragneel... maybe I should just make you wait like you made me wait..."

In one move, Natsu quickly scooped up Lucy and held her in his arms bridal style.

"Lucy!"

She let out the most carefree laugh.

 _"Okay, okay,_ I'm done screwing around." She raised her neck and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck to stare him dead in the eye. _"Yes."_

Upon hearing that, the biggest grin found itself on Natsu's face and he started spinning her around in his arms.

 _"Yippee!"_

"Natsu!"

Finally, he stopped.

"Alright let's go."

She choked on her breath.

"Where!"

"Umm... I don't really know... but I do know I don't want to be in this building.

"Natsu!"

Despite her various protests, the blonde was hauled away by Natsu to the nearest open window to exit school.

"Natsu! At least stop home, so I can change clothes, this is embarrassing!"

"Nope, nu-uh, there is nothing you can say to deter me right now, after all, I just got you and I'd be damned if I let you go now."

* * *

In that same hall the couple was, a boy walked ominously out of the boy's bathroom and pulled out his phone.

"Lisanna, it's me."

"So, what'd you find out Fullbuster?"

* * *

 **Okay, so I don't really know what to say other than... don't eat me alive! I come in peace! Please dear lovely readers, find it in your hearts to forgive me for this ridiculously long update, but the good news is, It's SUMMER! So I'm going to be updating a lot more now. Also any guardian angel fans in the house? I'll be updating that too. ~Yay!~**

 **Okay so that's it, (please forgive me!) and leave your thoughts on this chapter in a review.**

 **~NaluPrincess**

 **(Guys my birthday was yesterday, turn up!)**


	10. Almost there!

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait, (bet you've gotten used to it by now huh?) I'm a slow typer.**

 **Also blame laziness and procrastination. Oh yeah, and writers block. A deadly case of it.**

 **But not me. XD**

 **Anyway during the break between chapters, I got a TON of reviews telling me to update, but others were more structured, and I'd like to answer some of them.**

 **Dorky-necko- I don't know if you know this bro, but you're my 100th reviewer (review)! A round of applause for my friend here? Yay!**

 **TheLonePenguin (guest)- Thank you so much, and I'll try! Also I love the way your review is worded!**

 **Guest reviews, I can't answer if you have no name. :( which is too bad, cuz there are a few I wanted to highlight.**

 **Fairychime-diamond47- 1) Yes I do XD. My guardian Angel, the next generation, and the meaning of love. 2) Lol, I get that alot about her! 3) Yes they are, their friendship is... complicated. 3b) XD Also, they did. That's why Levy is the way she is. Keep following the story to find out what exactly happened. 3c) I know, I know, NaluPrincess knows all about the back to school struggle, but I'll still wish you luck!**

 **Addicted to everything wrong. - they didn't, but they act so much like a couple right?**

 **Also, thanks to EVERYONE for all the birthday wishes, I wish I could hug you all my beautiful people! They made my birthday 1000% better. Even the late ones. You guys are just... awesome sauce. 3**

* * *

 **Almost** **T** **here**

* * *

"So you wanna wear this?"

The pinkette looked at the tuxedo sitting in the window of the boutique.

"No. Looks too much like I have a stick up my ass. Keep it moving."

She let out a sigh in exasperation and ran her hands through her hair. They'd been at this for a while now and Natsu still refused to comply to Lucy and pick out a nice suit and tie to wear for the dance on Friday. They'd visited nearly every clothing store, department store, and boutique in all of Magnolia, and while Lucy did find some nice dresses for consideration, Natsu was still not caring.

"We are like a real couple today aren't we?"

She gave him and his toothy, nonchalant grin a serious side eye.

"You. Wish. Only reason I'm tolerating you here right now is cause I wanna pick something out for the dance."

He swung his arm around her shoulder and brought her slamming into his chest.

Just as roughly, she pushed herself off of him.

 _Not on your life sport._

"You know Natsu, I have _never_ ducked school before... I'm actually a little nervous... what is my father gonna say?"

She glanced at him nervously, and he looked at her back, a serious glare in his eyes.

"C'mon Luce, don't be so uptight." He fell in step with her, then looked up at the sky and smiled. "It's such a beautiful day."

She looked up at his face shining beautiful in the sun, and she hated how it outlined his chiseled features. She found it extremely attractive... and annoying.

"What?"

"Nothing!" She turned away to hide her blush. "Just thinking to myself that you are way to fucking optimistic all of the time."

"Well, you gotta learn how to be optimistic when you're spending most of your time with a Debbie Downer such as yourself."

"Shutup Jerkface."

"Maybe, but I'm a _kissable_ jerkface. Am I not?" He said with a teasing smile.

She turned to hide her blush.

 _"I so hate you..."_

"You so don't."

"Whatever, where are we going anyway? I just wanna get this date over with quickly so I can... _Crap!"_

"..."

" _Natsu_?"

"..."

"Dragneel?"

"..."

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face!"

"..."

"I said wipe it off!"

"..."

" _Please_? We're in the middle of town square and people are staring!"

 _"You admitted we're on a date..."_

"Ugh! Whatever let's just... head to my house, I'm tired."

* * *

 _"He did WHAT?!"_

"Yep, _aaand_ she said yes."

"..."

"Lisanna?"

"..."

" _Hello?"_

" _Damnit._ "

She cursed and hung up the phone right after that.

Shit.

She needed to speed her plans up a bit, she was completely beginning to lose Natsu.

"Lis?" The youngest Strauss sibling looked up from her iPhone to the concerned face of her older brother. She forgot she was walking to the lunch room with him.

"Are you okay? Who was that?"

His footsteps were beginning to slow down looking under her black, large brim cat ears hat at the completely irritated look on her face. She took a deep breath and mentally hit herself in the face

She smiled sweetly at him.

"Nothing big brother Elf, just some pretty surprising news about a girl in my math class. Can't tell you though. Its g _irl stuff."_

Elfman, still suspicious, raised an eyebrow on the explanation she gave but decided to drop it.

Girl talk, was _not_ manly. Plain and simple.

Upon entering the lunchroom, the pair met many people doing many things. It was still hot and sweaty, chaotic and had way too much traffic, but for a certain white haired vixen, it proved to be very boring.

"Natsuuu..."

* * *

For years, Juvia had been best friends with Lisanna, ever since she first came to Fairy Tail. Although she got transferred to this school because she desired to be closer to Gray, she now grew a deep, personal bond with the youngest Strauss sibling. They loved talking to each other and they realized they shared so many things in common. It was a match made in heaven... and they'd been best friends ever since.

But now things have changed.

Especially after Lisanna came back home from Paris with Mirajane and Elfman.

At first, Juvia and the others were overjoyed at their return. When they said their goodbyes before their trip to the city of love, everyone thought it was goodbye for good. Mira was supposed to _move_ there and be a permanent, legal, resident of Paris, France because of some life changing modeling opportunity afforded to her. Of course she wasn't going to leave behind her siblings, she was their guardian. But, after only a year of living in the most beautiful city on earth, Mirajane decided that her heart was not in it, and that Magnolia was her only home. Her siblings agreed.

Having said all of that, when they did finally return home, Lisanna seemed more love sick than usual. She became obsessed with Natsu and finding her "true love". So much so that she turned into the girl she is now. And made the brash decision to end their friendship.

So now, here was Juvia, sitting alone at a vacant lunch table, thinking and rethinking about her life.

With a daisy in her hand, she played _'he loves me, he loves me not'_ picking a petal at each random guess, thinking about Gray, but still disheartened all the same.

"Why is Gray-sama treating Juvia like this?" She picked another petal off the half empty flower. "Juvia's done nothing but love and support him... _uuwaahhh!"_ She threw herself into her arms and started sobbing.

 _"Grraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy! Whhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"_

With the minor disturbance in a sea of discord, Juvia's little break down went unnoticed.

"Juvia?"

Except to a certain white haired matchmaker.

"Mira-san!"

The oldest Strauss sibling walked to over to the crying blunnette and smiled.

"Mind if I joined you? I just want to ask you a few questions... about Lisanna."

* * *

" AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Stop it Natsu! HAHAHAHAHAH, I'm GONNA, I'M GONNA PEE!"

"Tickle tickle tickle~"

"Natsu! Ahahaha, go, hahaha, FUCK YOURSELF HAHAHAHAHAH!"

He finally let the blonde go, but not before he gave her a little jab under her elbow.

The duo were back at Lucy's place, from an unsuccessful afternoon of shopping. Jude was out of the country again and things seemed to be back to normal.

For the most part.

" _Hey_!" The frolicsome action caused the blonde to fumble backwards, all the way until she reached the head off her bed, hitting her head onto the nightstand and knocking over an old portrait. Natsu rushed over. "Luce!"

The portrait that fell from the wall above Lucy's bed, broke and shattered into a million pieces as it hit the ground.

"Luce are you ok-"

"NOOOOOOO! Get _off_ of me! _WHERE IS IT?! Where is it?"_ She ran towards the shattered pieces of the broken frame hoping to salvage what was left of her mother.

"Lucy..."

Feverishly, she searched and hunted for her mother's portrait under what seemed to be a hundred pieces of tiny shattered glass. At last she found the picture.

Natsu watched remorsefully as she took the picture and clutched it close to her chest. His throat constricted and suddenly he didn't know what to say. He almost destroyed something precious to her, and he would have never forgiven himself if he did.

"Luce, I'm sorry..."

He slowly made his way over to her, being completely aware she was able to snap, and then try and kill him. When he reached her, he put his arms around her, and rested his face on her shoulder.

There was, of course, a very long silence.

After a while Lucy spoke.

"Natsu, have you ever... _loved_ something... or _someone_ so much... and then suddenly they just up and leave your life... like they didn't even care?"

Immediately, Natsu's mind flashed back to Igneel. The last time he'd seen Igneel before he went away, seemingly for good.

"This is a picture of your mother right? She's very beautiful." He gently coaxed the picture of Layla from Lucy's prying hands, studying the beautiful woman before him.

 _Why did she look so familiar?_

She had vibrant blonde hair, just like Lucy, and sweet chocolate brown eyes, much like Lucy too. In the picture, the woman's hair was down, showing off the soft waves at the end of her hair. Her smile was sweet yet alluring and her eyes gave off a look that was soft yet mature. She had a cute piggy nose, much like Lucy, and plump full aural lips much like her daughter as well.

Obviously, Lucy looked alot like her mom.

But that wasn't what he was trying to figure out.

 _Think Natsu..._

 _Flashback_

"Daddy who's that lady?"

The red haired man took the magazine from his son and had a look at the article with the blonde woman in it. His eyes wandered to her face, then her neck, then her chest, then her-

"Daddy!"

 _"Big... Huh what?_ Sorry Natsu. Okay let's see what we have here..."

"What is it daddy?"

"Seems this lady is pretty important. She's Layla Heartfilia son, the wife of the man who owns the train stations."

"Which ones?"

"All of them, all across Fiore. I think it's called... _Heartfilia Transport?_ No, that's not right. _Heartfilia... Train stations? No, no, that's not it either, it's-"_

 _"Heartfilia Railways..."_

"Yeah, that's it! Wait, how did you know that?"

Little Natsu pointed at the article he was reading on the next page. "It's about the richest men in Fiore Daddy, someone named Jude Heartfilia is in number five, for a business called 'Heartfilia Railways'."

"..."

"Dad?"

"Nothing son. Good reading."

 _End of Flashback_

"Lucy," the blonde looked at the pink haired boy with tears in her eyes. "Is your mother... _Layla Heartfilia_?"

She gasped, completely thrown off guard. Her heart started racing.

"So if your mother is Layla Heartfilia... does that mean, your dad is..."

Flashback

 _"Oh I know who you are, you're the rumored grandson who thought he could take over his grandfather's job. Cocky little shit, aren't ya?"_

 _"You're all Fairy Tail High students." His voice was full of disgust. " **No wonder."**_

 _"It still baffles me that my little Lucy wanted to go there."_

 _"You all know Lucy right? I'm assuming that's why you peasants are all here."_

 _"I mean **Holy Mavis** what does she see in that dump?"_

 _"It's been nice getting acquainted with all of you, but I have better places to waste my time. **Adios."**_

 _End of Flashback_

"Lucy... why? Why didn't you tell me?"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

She leaped into his arms, tears flowing uncontrollably, she choked and sobbed and cried into his arms. Although her arms were wrapped soundly around his waist he continued to stare into space full of disbelief.

"I can't believe it..."

Lucy was the daughter of Jude Heartfilia. _The_ most powerful man in Fiore.

Damn...

This _completely_ changes everything.

Not to mention it makes the subject of who exactly is trying to out Lucy, alot more vague. It could be anybody at this point...

Especially with the way her father acts, the culprit out to get her could be _anybody._

He looked down at her crying form on his chest, every so often she'd let out sputuring choke, her eyes were closed clam shut, but he could still see the redness and puffiness around the ends of her eyes.

It killed him on the inside that she was crying so much lately.

Everything she's been through...

All the shit she's put up with...

And all the tears she'd shed...

He couldn't seem to do anything but sit back and watch.

The thought alone killed him on the inside.

So he did the only thing that he could've of thought of.

He wrapped his arms around her upper back and dragged her towards him.

" _Please stop..."_ He pleaded as held Lucy in his warm embrace. " _Stop crying..."_

Her sobs came to a halt when she felt a drop on her cheek. And not one of her own.

She whispered his name under her breath.

 _"I don't... I don't care, if you're Ashley or Heartfilia,"_ He hiccuped, and another tear slid down his cheek, "Just stop _crying."_

He held her soundly in his arms his face buried deep in the crook of her neck.

His tears seemed to stop the flow of her for now.

"Hey Natsu, don't cry." She wiped the tears from his face. Oh the irony. "See me smile." She flashed Natsu's big cheeky grin. "Don't cry."

Natsu stared blankly at her awkward attempt to try and mimic him.

He fell in love with the right girl.

He laughed and ruffled up her hair. "You look like an ass." She sputtered and blushed in embarrassment. " _What?! I was trying to make you feel better, cause you were crying_ like a _PUSSY!"_

"Hey now! Watch your language, Miss... _Heartfilia."_

She pouted her lips but wrapped her arms around his torso. "Yeah, yeah, you know my last name, now clam it so I can sleep."

"Lucy, you know we still have to talk about this right?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I know."

* * *

The lunchroom, was noisy, smelly and completely jam packed, as usual, but today, instead of high schoolers it was full of misleading characters and overly dressed up baffoons.

Gray, Gajeel, and Loke sat together at their usual table in the middle of the lunchroom with Elfman, Lisanna, Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen.

Gray noticed Juvia sitting in a corner by herself.

Then he saw her picking petals off a flower.

Then he saw her talking to herself, _whiles_ picking petals off the flower.

Then she burst into tears.

 _Holy shit,_ was she on her period or something?

 _"Gray!"_

"Huh, what?"

He looked over at Loke and Gajeel who were both giving him curious stares.

"Dude you've been out of it all day. What's up?"

"Um nothing. Maybe it's this costume and all the heat in here." He took off his hat and started fanning himself with it.

"Yeah well, no one told you to dress like Shakespeare, Einstein." Gajeel and Loke both laughed, Loke fist bumping Gajeel for jab.

Gray made a face at him.

Like the metal bastard had room to talk. In fact, both of them looked stupid as fuck.

One was dressed up like a wannabe Michael Jackson and the other looked like he was dressed up for casual Friday.

The fuck outta here.

He simply rolled his eyes but he couldn't help but let them wonder back over to Juvia.

She was still crying.

Before anything else, out of nowhere, came Mira, her presence, unusually intimidating today, but perhaps it had something to do with the cute military costume she had on. Girl was feeling herself all day.

He noticed Juvia's fingers on her right hand twitched slightly and immediately he knew there was trouble. Her fingers only twitched like that when she was really nervous. Right then and there he knew it had something to do with Lisanna.

The two beauties made their way out of the lunchroom and back into the now more vacant halls of the school. As subtly as he could, Gray tried to follow. While walking, Juvia was more than careful not to let her costume drag on the dirty school floors. One reason, it belonged to her mother and her mother would totally kill her if anything happened to her most precious item, and two, her prince had yet to see her in it.

Mirajane stopped walking in the middle of the halls outside the lunchroom.

She smiled slyly and turned to Juvia like the cat that caught the mouse after a long chase.

"Spill."

The blunnette swallowed thickly. Both girls knew what she was talking about. At this point Mira practically knew the truth but she needed someone to validate all her suspicions.

"About what Mira?" Juvia asked feigning innocence.

Mira let out a laugh. "You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about. My sister, trying to get rid of the new girl."

Juvia's gaze stayed steady on Fairy Tail's She-Demon, trying to steady both her breathing and her thoughts. She was in trouble.

"Now why would she do that?"

"The video of her fapping to Natsu on Ancestral Appreciation Day, the text about her "stealing" Natsu away from my sister that everyone in school got except for me and Elfman, heck, even the boys attacking her on Saturday it was all Lisanna's doing, wasn't it?"

Juvia's mind went blank as her mouth flapped open and close, trying to think of something to say.

"So tell me something Juvia," the silver haired beauty began stepping closer and closer to Juvia who now had cold beads of sweat dripping down the sides her face. "What did you do?"

At this point, Juvia and Mira's faces were only an inch apart from each other. Juvia's face etched with terror at the sweet smile Mira was throwing her way. _"I'm waiting hun."_

"Juvia!"

They both turned around to see Gray jogging towards them.

"Prince?"Juvia cried, while Mira turned around to stifle a laugh. Gray caught up with them in the halls, and he had to do a double take at Juvia's outfit.

"Wow Juvia," Gray said examine her appearance. "You look... _really pretty._ " The girl blushed. "Thank you my prince. And might I say you look quite dashing as well."

At that comment Mira could hold it in no longer, and she let out all her laughter.

Gray and Juvia turned to her.

" _I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just that... with all that pink and feathers, you look like a certified_ flamingo! Hahahahahah!"

Gray rolled his eyes. He whispered something in Juvia's ear and she stood behind him. Mira finally calmed down long enough to notice what was happening.

 _"Gray..."_

He stared her dead in the eye, sheltering Juvia protectively behind him. Part of him didn't know why he was so protective of her right now, but he knew if he continued to let Mira probe and have her way with Juvia it could spell trouble for people: namely him.

"Gray can you excuse for a minute, Juvia and I were having a very _important conversation."_

"What's so important that you had to take Juvia out of the lunchroom and into the hall... by _herself._ Is there some secret you're trying to hide from our _friends_?"

" _Gray, mind your own business."_

He raised an eyebrow. "Why should I? Her business is basically my business anyway. She's always coming back to me and reporting everything that happens in her life anyways. Wether I ask her to or not."

The blue haired bride shriveled up a little at his words.

Mira sighed. "You're going to die."

As soon as she said those words, Gray crawled in his skin. Very rarely did the eldest Strauss sibling get angry, usually she was very good at keeping her anger in, cause there was an actual demon living inside her. Or at least there used to be. But that's another story for another time. ***cough cough* follower special *cough***

"Okay then Juvia," He turned around to the blushing bride, "Since it's my last day on earth, let me do this."

He took off his mask and his hat, leaned Juvia over in his arms, and passionately kissed her on the lips.

Every jaw dropped in the hall, or at least everyone who saw. Elfman, Evergreen and Lisanna had sneaked into the hall to see what was taking Mira so long. Needless to say they were surprised by what they saw. Everyone except Lisanna, who didn't bother looking up from her phone at all.

Mirajane looked preturbed. Shocked like her blood ran cold. Not to mention embarrased.

Stuttering with every syllable, she quietly excused herself. Gray smirked as he watched the demon matchmaker practically run off. The plan worked flawlessly. His smirk dropped when he made eye contact with Lisanna.

She gave him a look that said, _thanks_ _for saving my butt Fullbuster._

He gave her a look back.

 _I didn't do this for you, I did this for Juvia._

She rolled her eyes as if to say _whatever,_ then walked off with the others.

Smiling to herself, she began thinking how excellent her choice was to replace Juvia and Levy. Gray was a bit of both of them; smart and bloodthirsty, but with a lot less back talk and attitude. Only Mavis knows why she didn't recruit him sooner.

Back to Gray, and an unconscious Juvia, he seemed a little upset she passed out after the kiss. He wanted to apologize to his best friend for treating her so badly the last few days. But now that Mira was starting to pick up their scent, it was only a matter of time until Erza knew and starting doing some snooping of her own. He _needed_ Juvia following him again. It was the best option for both of that way.

Picking her up bridal style, he began to take her to the infirmary.

"You know Juvia I've been thinking, I might end up having to go to the dance this Friday to do some... _work,_ for a _friend._ And uh, I really didn't want to go alone so... if you can hear me, maybe we can go together?"

Well, he saw no harm asking her when she was unconscious, it wasn't like she could hear him, or answer.

 _"YEEESSSSS!"_ She suddenly bounced up and screamed in his arms. "Yes of course, my prince!"

On a normal day he would've jumped in his boxers that she came into consciousness by the sound of his voice but...

But at this point nothing she did could surprise him anymore.

"Cool." He said and gave her a side smile. "Really cool."

She passed out again, but this time, with hearts in her eyes.

* * *

 **Okay everyone, the next chapter is the follower special! After that, the masquerade dance. Stay tuned as the Lisanna arc soon comes to its climax! R &R, favorite and follow! Mwuah!**


	11. 150 Follower Special

**150 Follower Special**

* * *

 **This is it. The origin story everyone's been waiting for. The question that has been asked countless times (Not really, well no, not at all). The secret to the reason why the character we hate the most, (in my story) is the way she is. To uncover this secret, (we'll have to split this chapter into two parts) first, we have to take a trip backwards to 2 and a half years ago. Back when Lisanna and her older siblings had moved to France due to Mira's modeling success.**

* * *

 _"Il n'y a pas plus sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre" (No one is as deaf as the one who does not want to listen)_

* * *

"Hello? Wii wii Madame... wi... yeah, today yes ma'am my siblings and I are leaving at 1... Alright... okay... and again, thank you so much!"

Briskly, Mira rushed up the creaky, wooden, stairs to get the last two things left in the house: her suitcase and her siblings. "Elfman? Lisanna?" She walked straight down the hall to her old bedroom. Of course this, _was_ her old _bedroom_ , now, it was just an empty space with four walls.

"C'mon guys," she walked over and embraced both her younger siblings.

"I'm gonna miss this place big sis." Elfman looked down at her with glossy eyes.

"Me too guys." She rubbed his and Lisanna's backs. "Me too."

And so, off they went. The three Strauss siblings trotted out of their now empty house, the "for sale" sign in their front lawn, taunting their minds as they entered the taxi and made their way to the airport.

And farther away from home.

* * *

As the three teenagers got up and headed to their boarding gates, they turned around to see all their friends waving them off.

The thunder tribe waved goodbye and Elfman tearfully waved back.

"Goodbye Ever!" He called with snot dribbling down his nose and tears dripping down his cheeks. "Make sure you never forget me!"

Suddenly, tears began to dot the corner of _her_ eyes and she shouted back, "Elfman, you idiot! I promise!"

Then he turned and screamed loud enough for the whole airport to hear.

"Also make sure, you stay, _A MAN!"_

Evergreen's veins began to throb, and she threw her prized hand fan straight at his cranium. "For the last time, you oversized muscle head, I am _not_ a man!"

Mirajane and Laxus held each other's gazes for a while. He stared longingly at her big blue eyes, and she stared sadly at his.

Then suddenly, she smiled.

He smiled too, then nodded in understanding.

Lisanna clutched her cellphone in her hands, desperately scanning the crowd of teary-eyed smiling faces, for _his_ smiling face. She saw Juvia crying as she waved goodbye, yet a smile was on her face, nonetheless.

Lisanna blew a kiss in her best friend's direction, then continued looking.

 _Oh where was Natsu?_

The loud speaker made the final warning call for passengers to board the plane to France.

"Come on Lisanna," her sister said. "Time to go."

Lisanna felt her heart break.

Natsu didn't bother to come see her off.

Did that mean he didn't feel the same way?

Yes, perhaps the day before one goes away forever, is not the best time to tell your longtime crush, and best friend since forever, that you love him.

But even if he didn't feel the same, he still should've come. They had been best friends since they were in grade school, and now she's leaving forever.

Didn't he even care about that?

A bunch of people in the airport waiting area got up and made their way over to the boarding gate and so did Mira and Elfman. Lisanna scanned the crowd one last time, hoping to at least see a glimpse of his spiky pink hair to remember him bye.

But to no avail.

Reluctantly, Lisanna turned around.

And started moving on.

About 25 minutes later, after the gang watched the Strauss plane take off, out of nowhere, a very worn out Natsu accidentally bumps into Gray.

 _"Is she here?! Where is she? Don't tell me I missed her!"_

Gray merely pointed wordlessly at the boarding gate the Strauss' had just entered.

 _"No..."_ Natsu said, as he fell straight to his knees.

 _"Yes."_ Gray replied as he shook his head in disappointment and walked away from his friend.

Juvia followed him, but instead shot the pinkette a deadly glare. "You should've seen her face," Juvia spat. "She was so crestfallen when you didn't show."

One by one, all his friends did the same thing. Walk by him and shake their heads in disappointment or glare at him in anger.

Evergreen stuck her nose in the air and snuffed him.

Laxus simply told him he "messed up".

Erza threatened to punch him but decided not to, and did the worst thing to Natsu's psyche.

Sigh, then shake her head too, but not in disappointment, but in a way, as if she had finally given up on him.

When she had left the airport, Natsu stayed in his crouched position on the floor, clutching the red rose he had brought for Lisanna in frustration and sadness.

 _"I'm sorry Lisanna..."_ he whispered.

* * *

The next day, after the Strauss family had settled into their new home and recovered from a long flight.

Paris France.

A beautiful city, it can be defined as many different things, to many different people. Some say, it's the City of Lights because of its grand illumination display during the nights. Others, would call it, the City of Dreams, a place, where dreams _do_ come true. But its most common name, is the City of Love.

Can the Strauss siblings find love too?

Or will their hearts forever be tied to their Magnolia lovers?

"Oh my _Mavis."_ Lisanna said, taking in the scenery of the family's new townhouse apartment. "This place is beautiful."

 _"Breathtaking."_ Mira chimed in. Stepping inside the wide spaced area. It was grand and well, semi-luxurious, complete with a large bay window with a view of Paris and the Eiffel tower, a real life fireplace facing a long, leather U-shaped couch and right below a 52" flat screen TV. If you walked into the kitchen you would see something that looked like it came straight out of a magazine. Plus, it had a room, just for it's indoor hot tub that came with L.E.D light show and dancing waters.

 _"Manly..."_ Elfman whispered, and his two sisters turned around to glare daggers at him. He simply raised his arms in defense and smiled nervously. "What?"

Lisanna ran straight into the middle of the lounge room and spun around. Excitement and wonder filled her veins. She was ready for this new Paris life. She was ready for a new adventure.

After taking a good look at their surroundings Mira ran straight to the lounge room, with her hands covering her mouth and tears brimming her eyes. "I have to call Miss Rouge..." She cried and took out her cellphone.

"I'm starving..." Elfman trailed off as he made his way too the kitchen, his mouth salivating.

Lisanna continued to stare out the window. "I can't wait to see the Paris Opera House, and the Catacombs, and the Love..."

"It's pronounced, the _Louvre."_

The three siblings turned their heads towards the door.

There was a boy standing in the doorway with ruffled brown hair, dark brown eyes, and big wire-trimmed glasses, he was wearing a tuxedo, and holding a bunch of luggage. He blushed under the looks that the family of three gave him and smiled sheepishly. "Uh _... hi."_

* * *

"So Andrew tell us more about yourself." Mira said, patting the empty spot on the couch next to her gesturing to Andrew. Lisanna rolled her eyes. She almost felt sorry for the poor boy, her sister could be very probing.

The boy introduced himself as Andrew. Apparently he was the bell boy that was bringing their luggage. Lisanna didn't like him though, she still annoyed at how he so bluntly corrected her at the door. Smart ass.

"Elf- ni- Chan !" Lisanna cried. Then her brother appeared, with his mouth full of food to wordlessly haul away everyone's luggage. When he came back he told Andrew, "Thanks bell boy," and ran back to his temporary sanctuary in the fridge.

Andrew looked at Mira. "Well for starters, I'm not a bell boy."

The future model was slighted. "You're not?" She cried.

 _"You're not?!"_ Lisanna screamed. She stalked over to him and looked him dead in the eye. "Then why in the hell were you carrying all our stuff?!"

 _"Because..."_ He hopped over the couch to be face to face with the youngest Strauss sibling. However he was way too close for her liking and she took a step backwards.

"As soon as you guys came to the building, your eyes went as big as saucers, and when I came over to welcome you to the building the big one just threw his stuff at me," He gestured to Elfman. "And you two followed suit."

The two sisters craned their necks to glare at their brother still gorging himself in the kitchen.

"What?" He said again, but more cluelessly this time.

After talking with Mira for several hours, Mira found out that he was far from a bell boy, and that his parents were actually the owners of the building. That also meant not only were his parents worth millions, he was worth millions too. During the entire conversation with Mira, Andrew kept craning his neck to the side, and stealing quick glances of Lisanna. Whenever she'd catch him though, she'd give him the nastiest look, then turn her head back to her telescope and continued to look out the bay window.

By the end of the talk it was almost nightfall, and Mira, being the kind and wonderful person she is, invited Andrew to stay for dinner.

The sound of silverware clanking on glass was the only thing that could be heard through the dining hall as the Strauss siblings ate their first dinner in Paris together- with their new friend of course.

"So you take Chinese, Japanese and Mandarin speaking classes too?" Mirajane exclaimed, delightfully. " _Andrew_!"

With some chewed veal cheek in his mouth he spit out a confused "W _hat?"_

 _"That's amazing!"_ Mira exclaimed.

"You're a real man." Elfman exclaimed.

Lisanna rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Excuse me, but are we _done_ kissing his butt now?" She slammed her silverware on the table, getting everyone's attention.

Mirajane gasped, appalled. _"Lisanna!_ This is our guest, and as such you will treat him with respect!"

She scoffed. "Why _should I?_ It's not as if he's treated anyone with respect since he got here!" When she made that statement she looked directly into his eyes, with a deadly glare. He stared back, his eyes full of broken-heartedness. After a while, she abruptly got out of her seat and headed up the stairs to her room.

"Lisanna!" Mira called, getting up to go after her. "If this is about him correcting you from earlier, then that is so petty Lisanna-"

"No! This isn't about that. This is about him, getting all this high praise from you guys, when he's actually done _nothing_ but present himself as being our landlord's _son!"_

Mira called after her sister one more time, but all she got was the sound of a door slamming in response. Utter silence choked the dining room. It was deafening.

"Andrew, I'm sorry about how my sister's behaving." Mira muttered softly. "I don't know why-"

 _"She hates me so much?"_ Andrew offered.

"I was going say _why she's acting this way."_ She paused. "But yeah pretty much."

"You're free to leave if you want to." The model stood up politely and pushed the chair in behind her. "Excuse me," she said softly as she raced up the stairs after her sister, leaving Elfman alone with Andrew.

"So..." Elfman said trying to start a conversation. "Nice weather you have around here." He said as he daintily took his napkin and dabbed the food at his lips as his sister had just done moments before. "It's very manly."

* * *

 _"What was that!"_ Mira sharply called out as the door closed behind her. She had come in the room expecting a hurricane to fight, but what she found was Lisanna broken down on the bed, crying, clutching a picture of what could only look like her and Natsu together.

"Oh Lisanna," the snowy hair girl cried as she wasted no time to envelope her sister in a motherly embrace. "I know its hard. I know it is."

"Why couldn't he just come to the airport?" She said in between raking sobs. "Why couldn't he just come show his face to me one more time? Even if he didn't love me..." And that statement brought forth another fresh batch of tears from the future veterinarian. "Am I really that _repulsive?"_

"Lisanna, if Natsu doesn't love you back, then that's seriously _his_ loss. You're beautiful, you're not repulsive." She said referencing her previous statement. "And besides, best friends, are usually the foundation for a great relationships."

"Lizzy, in life you're going to have to have heartbreak." She continued. "It's something most people experience, at least once. What you need to do, is wipe your tears away. Go on, wipe them, stand up, look that boy in the face and say 'I'm over you! You're just loosing out!'"

Lisanna couldn't help but let out a giggle at her big sister's oddities.

"Who knows hun?" Mira whispered, wiping a lock of hair from Lisanna's face. "The guy who's really right for you might just come knocking on your door."

Just then the two heard some knocks on the door. _"Hi."_ It was Andrew. "Is Lisanna still in there? I'd like to tell her something." His voice was shaky and distraught.

Lisanna, slowly unraveled herself from her sisters embrace and stalked over to the door - quietly. She moved silently enough so that she could understand what he was saying, but at the same time give him the impression that she didn't care enough to answer the door.

"I know you're not hearing me," Andrew finished. "But I'd like to say I'm sorry for earlier. I grew up here and I love all these places so much, that I find myself correcting people about it if they're wrong. Especially tourists."

Lisanna stopped breathing as she placed her ear on the door.

"Look, I know we got off to a rough start but I... I'd like to get the opportunity to know you better. You're siblings seem really nice, so I know you're a beautiful person - inside and out."

Lisanna's cheeks started to redden at his statement. Apparently he had to be blushing too, because he started blubbering and stuttering like an idiot.

"That's not what I meant! I meant, they _seem_ really kind, but I wasn't saying you're _beautiful_ or anything- not that you're _not beautiful_ it's just-"

He continued stuttering on to himself until finally, he sighed and leaned against the door frame. _"Who am I kidding?_ She's not even listening me anyway. I have to go-"

"Wait!" Lisanna found herself flinging the door open, and staring at Andrew's surprised face. Both of their cheeks looked like the color of hot peppers.

Mira watched the entire thing unfold in keen interest.

"Uh... hi." He said.

"I'm sorry about earlier Andrew." She leaned against the door frame showing her ditress. "It's just that I'm going through some stuff right now and..."

"It's okay," he smiled seemingly happy that she even acknowledged his existence in a non negative manner. "Really. _Let's just be friends_ okay?" He said.

Lisanna watched as he smiled at her then walked away. Her heart literally felt as if it were about to beat right out of her chest.

Why was her body reacting like this?

* * *

 **-Time Skip-**

 _"_ Yo Gray!" A boy called out, "Mind if I crashed here for a bit?"

The raven haired boy watched as Natsu nonchalantly invited himself inside his home and began foraging for food through his fridge. He watched with keen interest as the pinkette opened up a bottle of Vitamalt exited the kitchen and hopped over the couch to plop on the couch right next to him.

He looked at him, gave him a little hail, "What's up?" And began feverishly typing on his phone.

Gray was about to have a mental breakdown.

Now wait just a freaking minute.

It was the third day since school's reopening, and the last time Gray had seen Natsu was during summer, at the airport after Lisanna left. Now, Gray had kind of expected this sort of reaction from his best friend. His girl best friend left him forever, and he didn't get a chance to properly say goodbye. Of course Natsu was going to feel disappointed and probably hide his face from everyone for a while. He had disappointed all his friends, which has never happened before.

And his friends meant the world to him.

But for this little bastard to just _waltz_ right into his home after disappearing for about three months...

" _Gray who was that!"_ Gray's adopted brother called. Out came a shirtless Lyon from his bedroom an alarmed look on his face. "Oh, hey Natsu. Haven't seen _you_ in a long time." He relaxed.

 _"Haven't see you in a long time,_ is correct." Gray roughly shoved the boy's legs off his couch and glared at him.

"Hey what's your problem man?!" Natsu exclaimed aggitated.

Gray gave him a dead panned expression.

Natsu mouthed the words, ' _What?'_

 _"The hell are you doing here man?!"_

Natsu sighed and continued typing furiously in his phone.

"So you're not going to answer my question then?" Gray asked. He took the deadly silenced that followed his question as consent.

"You dissappear for three months, after the incident at the airport, and then you just show up again, without explanation (or apology)?"

Natsu absentmindedly let his tongue hang out the bottom of his mouth as he skillfully rolled his thumb up and down the touch-screen phone. Gray's face contorted in disgust.

"What the hell is so _interesting_ on this phone?!" Gray said as he simultaneously snatched up Natsu's phone.

"You icy bastard, give that back!"

Gray wasn't fazed by his insults as he scrolled through the phone and gawked at the thousands upon thousands of phone numbers.

 _"What the..."_

"Oh that? That's just a couple of chicks numbers I got over the summer. No big deal."

"No big deal... Natsu, you've gotten almost every female adolescent in _Magnolia_ on this phone."

The salmon haired boy walked over to the darts board and began to throw. "You've got a point." He said. "I need to break up with one of my girlfriends, the phone is getting too full."

"Umm I'm sorry did you say girlfriend _sss?_ As in, _more than one?"_

"I don't know," He said undecidedly stroking his chin. "I saw this really sexy eighth grader the other day. She's foreign but she totally digs me. I could get her on my couch if I wanted to."

Gray furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief. _"_ Wait, _wha_ _t?"_

"Yeah but, I saw this hot blonde at the bus stop today. I'm sure she's a college student, but she gave me her number anyways." He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and smiled. He read it. "I think her name was Fiona? But _hot damn_ that baby got curves! I think I'm going go to with her."

Gray's face contorted into a look of confusion, disgust and a look that said 'a _re you serious right now, bro'_ all at once. It was like his friend was in speaking another language. "Um excuse me Natsu, _but can you hear yourself?_ I mean _seriously_ Natsu, you're talking like a totally different person."

"Sure Fiona's a knockout, but Simone's young and naive, she'll let me do anything if that means I'll stay."

Gray continued to listen to his friend, his bangs covering his eyes.

"This... this is all because of Lisanna. Isn't it?"

Natsu stopped his phone typing for a split second then went back to typing, much more furiously this time. Gray continued.

 _"It's because you like Lisanna... that you're acting like this._ You're so asexual, and a big wuss, might I add, that when you started developing feelings for Lisanna, you kept pushing them back because you didn't want to ruin your friendship."

Gray positioned his body fully in the couch.

"So when she left, and you never got to admit your feelings," he continued. "You broke down. You think that she's out there in Paris, getting her French guys on, so you try to ease the pain by... by fooling around with all these other girls. Am I right?"

Natsu stopped typing. He put his phone back down and sat up to look at Gray. And for the first time since he's been here, Gray saw real sadness in Natsu's eyes.

"I was too late." His voice low and normal. "The day before her departure, the Strauss' held a private Lua on the beach to celebrate their last night in Magnolia. Each sibling was allowed to invite one person. Mira invited Laxus, and Elfman invited Evergreen. The rest of the Thunder legion just showed up because... where one of them go, all of them go, I guess?" Natsu's eyes shifted from sadness to determination. "And then she, invited me."

"I remember that evening better than I remember anything else in my life. She told me, she loved me and I didn't know what to think. I panicked. And in my flurry of confused emotions, I almost did something terrible and nearly kissed her."

Gray raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't she have liked something like that?"

"No, not if I didn't mean it. This was my best friend, so I had to work carefully around her emotions. I told her I'd give her a response the next day. That was a huge mistake. I was under pressure, between the natural forces of my hormones and the inevitable dwindling of time, I couldn't figure out what I felt for her anymore. Was it love? Was it friendship? Even on the day of her departure I was still on the rocks. She said to make it easier, I didn't have to say a word. Just bring a rose. Red for yes, yellow for no."

Gray's eyes widened in shock at the revelation. "So that's why you brought that-"

"Yep." Natsu cut him off. "It was a crazy story actually, I initially purchased a single _yellow_ rose from a florist vender. But as I was walking to the airport I realized I made a grave mistake - or at least I thought. I took a U-turn from my path to the airport to go exchange the flower color but then she had left already. I had to chase her down for god knows how long, only for her to not have any more of those roses. So I spent some more time, looking for a house or business with red rose bushes. When I finally found a house, I picked the flower, fell into the bush, got chased around by the guard dog and narrowly escaped."

"Geez man," Gray inerjected. "I would've given up and done the normal thing and just tell her instead."

Natsu shook his head. "No, it okay. It's Lisanna so it was worth it."

"Whatever."

"Lastly, it took like twenty or so minutes to convince airport security that I wasn't a terrorist of any kind and that I was here to see off a friend. Even then I still don't think they believed me, but they let me go."

"So that explains why you were late. And why you looked so god-awful."

"Yeah. After the incident, none of my friends would talk to me. I go to their houses, and their parents tell me they don't want to see me. I message them on Facebook or someone, and they don't reply or block me. Even you."

Gray looked down in momentary shame.

"So, with no one to talk to, and a major part of my life gone, all I had was time to think. I thought and I thought. And at first I thought I loved Lisanna. When I thought that, I started to become heartbroken. So, like you said, I started to take a sudden keen interest in the female gender."

"I knew it."

"But sometime around July, my feelings faded away. They dissipated."

"So... _you didn't really love her?"_

"No. I just _thought_ I did. _I love Lisanna..._ but I realized only like a best friend. Or a sister. I just can't see myself being physically attracted to her, or doing all those intimate things that couples do with her. I always see her as my buddy. That little girl I made mud cakes with in the forth grade. Nothing will change that."

"Alright," Gray readjusted his position on the couch once again. "So if you didn't love her, and you _don't_ love her, what's with the sudden acting like a man whore?"

Natsu returned to his smug nonchalant posture. "I'm just irresistible to the babes. All of them."

Gray looked at his friend in disgust once again. Oh please. Don't make me laugh.

"Puberty certainly hit _all of us differently_ now didn't it? _"_ He muttered under his breath.

"What was that you icy popsicle?" Natsu threatened.

He coughed and talked at the same time. " _Nothing but your ego._ But anyway," he said in his normal voice. "There's just one more thing you need to do if you want full closure. You need to talk to Lisanna."

"You think I haven't tried that already, dumbass?" He was getting irritated again. "Lisanna doesn't have social media accounts so I can't reach her over the internet. And I certainly can't take my cellphone and _call_ her from Paris. It wouldn't work, I mean, she's in another _timezone_ for God's sake!"

 _"And I thought I was slow..."_ Gray pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration at his friend's lack of realization. "She has _siblings,_ Ding-dong!" He waved his arms in exasperation. "Just Skype Mirajane!"

* * *

The sun rays beat down at the Maymount International School in Paris, France. Students watched eagerly as the seconds ticked by until the clock would change from _'2:59pm'_ to _'3:00pm'._ When it did, the teachers dismissed their students, and kids began flooding out of the school. Lisanna decided to leave after the crowd, so that she wouldn't have to be jammed up by people if she didn't have to. A few new friends of Lisanna's decided to wait with her.

They all left school talking and smiling, every so often Lisanna would have another question about her previous life thrown at her. A question that she answered gladly.

Suddenly one of her friends started to poke her violently, and diverted her attention to her left.

And there was Andrew, staring at her, smirking and leaning up against a working helicopter!

"Andrew!" She cried shocked, yet happy. She was trying her best to keep the dust from the violent whirlwind the helicopter blades were generating from getting in her eyes, and raising her skirt.

Her friends waved goodbye as Andrew took her hand and walked her to the machine and opened the door for her, helping her inside.

Once the door was closed and they were both inside, Andrew signaled for the Pilot to take off.

"Andrew!" Lisanna cried smiling. "What is all this!?"

"I hope it isn't too much," Andrew asked modestly. "I wanted your first day at your new school to be perfect. So I asked my parents if I could burrow the helicopter so you could ride home in style. Maybe we could go visit some monuments. I could even show you the Louvre."

Lisanna took her hands and covered her mouth, trying to stop tears of joy from escaping. "Andrew you're so sweet, I could just kiss you!"

"Actually, a kiss would be appreciated, yes." Andrew joked patted his left cheek for her to kiss. Boy did he get the surprise of his life when she leaned over and actually _kissed_ him. His cheeks burned the colour of scarlet afterwards.

After a few seconds of just staring at each other smiling, Lisanna pointed out the window. "Hey, isn't that the Eiffel Tower!"

Andrew turned around and laughed nervously happy for something to break his daze.

* * *

The duo hurriedly made their way up the stairs, laughing and speaking in French at the same time. Thanks to the little joy ride, Lisanna was way past her curfew time of getting home. And she knew all too well how Mira would react.

They finally made it to Lisanna's living quarters where she instantly whipped out the key to the door.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Andrew wondered. "I can cover for you, if you want."

"No that's okay." She looked at him. "Once I tell her I was with you she'll be fine."

"Okay then. But if anything goes wrong-"

"Andrew, I'll be _fine_. But thanks for worrying about me. And thanks. For today."

He flashed her a dorky smile. "You're welcome." And with that he raced down the stairs to get to his helicopter which was still running.

As Lisanna fooled around with her ring of keys to find the right key to open the door, she heard voices. And lots of them. She recognized her sister's.

"She's still out huh? She's probably with Andrew then."

As well as her brother.

"Yeah, Andrew is a real man!"

And then she heard a third voice that nearly brought tears to her eyes.

 _"Really? Who's Andrew?"_

It was Natsu.

She started searching for her key more furiously now, hands trembling, blood rushing to her head. The ring of keys made a violent jiggling sound as she searched.

"Oh Andrew?" Mira asked getting ready to spill the beans. "Andrew's just this boy Lisanna likes, even though she won't admit it. And he likes her back too, he's just too shy to say so."

 _"Oh..."_

Lisanna heard Natsu's voice, and she thought it sounded disappointed.

 _No..._

"Yeah, Andrew, is a real MAN!"

 _No!_

She finally got the right key, jammed it int the lock and slammed the door open.

"No!" She screamed. Mira and Elfman swung their heads in her direction. Natsu, whose face was on the screen from video chatting, simply tilted his head a little to the side.

"Lisanna!" Mira cried.

"I do not love Andrew!" She said. She stomped over to the computer and looked at Natsu in the face. "Natsu, you are the only one that I love! For now and forever and always! Nothing will change that. Andrew is _nothing_ to me but a friend!"

After a brief silence enveloped the room, the girl heard another sound coming from the doorway.

" _Lisanna?..."_

It was Andrew, standing in the doorway, holding something of hers she might have left in the helicopter by mistake.

"Andrew..." Lisanna trailed off realizing she's made a grave mistake. His eyes were red and glossy, as if he were about to cry.

She got up to walk over to him, but as soon as she did, Andrew dropped whatever it was in his hand, and ran away.

"Andrew" Lisanna screamed form the doorway. **"** **Andrew!"**

* * *

 _To be continued... (What? I told you it was a two-parter, didn't I?)_

* * *

 **Sorry for the terribly long wait, my country was just impacted by a hurricane X( But Princess is alright people, no need to panic, just alot of collateral damage to my city if you know what I mean. My school will be out for at least two weeks while the government works on repairs. Yay! And in the meantime I promise you I will update at least two chapters during this "mini vacation" of mine. The follower special (this) and the next chapter. Follow to get updated as soon as they happen! XD**

 **Also I can't believe I hit a hundred and freaking fifty followers! (Well, two hundred plus now, but who's counting?) Bam, What the WHAT?! I am so happy right now, just... thank you all so much!**

 **Sidenote : Next follower special will be at 350 followers so I can have some time in between chapters and whatnot. So yeah, I may be raising the bar a little high, but let's see if we can reach it. XD Lastly, follow me as an author please, I promise I'll be uploading more stories after I reach a certain number of followers! In fact, I already have a Gale oneshot in the works for when I hit 100 followers. (More information on that will be listed on my profile).**

 **Well, that's all for now for now my lovelies. Please review.** (And if you read this whole author's note, you deserve a cookie) **Chow!**


	12. Who can you trust?

**Who can you trust?**

* * *

"So with all of that being said... dad, can I go?"

The tension in the room that followed Lucy's question was thick enough to slice with a knife. The blonde man stayed in his suave leather rolling chair with his back facing his daughter. A look of serious contemplation rested on his features.

"You said it was tonight?"

The blonde curtly nodded her head. "Yes sir."

"Hmm..." His throat hummed once more in consideration. He spun his chair around halfway, opened his top desk drawer and took a pipe and a lighter. He spun back around so that the back of him and the chair could once again, face his daughter.

"So tell me," Jude put the pipe to his mouth and smoked it. "What advantages does this dance have to offer you, my daughter?"

Lucy wrung her hands in desperation. She knew something like this was about to happen. Before he'd give her a straight cut 'yes' or 'no' answer, Jude would much rather draw out the torturous process by drilling her with question after question, making her more uncomfortable, and watching her squirm.

"Um, well, it could... it could help me improve my social skills..." She trailed off.

Jude inhaled from his pot once more and exhaled, releasing a puff of smoke and chemicals into the room.

"It would give me an opportunity to practice my ballroom dancing. You know, since I was kicked out of the Ladies Club and all." Lucy flinched at her own words. Maybe now wasn't the best time to mention her recent termination from the highly exclusive club.

"Do you have a date?" He asked. The prospect of his overly rambunctious daughter having to practice being lady-like started to genuinely intrigue him.

"Yes sir," She squeaked. She was more anxious now than she had been earlier because he might have asked her to meet the guy. Check him out, inspect the young man who was taking his daughter to dance.

She became a little flustered at her own inner notion and her cheeks started to redden slightly as she thought of her date.

"Alright Lucy," Jude stated. "I'll let you go."

Her breath hitched, the blonde's heart completely stopped and then started racing again. Before she got the chance to jump up and scream in joy, her father interjected.

 _"But,"_ He turned around to face her. " _Only if you promise that you'll be an absolute lady tonight."_ Lucy settled down at the seriousness in his face and in his voice. "You're going to look like the bell of the ball, but now you'll have to act like it."

She slowly nodded her head up and down and stared down her father. He glared back.

"If that is it," He spun back around in his chair. "Then you can leave."

* * *

Lucy slowly traveled through her maze of a house still feeling excited after her meeting with the man of the house. He was surprisingly more cooperative than normal this morning, and that worked out to her advantage. Certainly she was expecting a flat out 'no' and perhaps some chastisement for wasting his precious time and distracting him from his work; but she got none of that.

She smiled and rubbed her chest with her right hand. "Why do I still feel so giddy?" She arrived at her bedroom door. As she turned the knob to open it, she finished by stating, "Is it because this is my first dance? Or is it because this is my first dance with..."

Finally, when her door swung fully opened, it revealed her disheveled room with Natsu, plopped on the side of her bed, playing poker with Virgo.

"Hiya Lucy!" He exclaimed brightly. "So, what did he say?"

* * *

 _One brutal beat - down later..._

* * *

 _Clomp! Clomp! Clomp! Clomp! Clomp!_

The school hallways reverberated with the echoes of feet stomping widly on the ground in a hurry to get to class. Both students were breathing heavily and were connected only by their hands. Once Natsu stopped pulling Lucy behind him, the blonde doubled over to catch her breath but never disconnecting from her soon-to-be date.

"Just great Natsu," she managed to say in between breaths. "We're late." She wheezed.

He glared down at her as he leaned against the wall, struggling to catch his breath.

"Well it's not my fault," he rasped. " _You're_ the one who spent all that time freaking out on me," he paused for breaths. "After you found me in your room this morning. We would have gotten here much earlier if you hadn't."

"Natsu, it's a Friday morning," she exclaimed hotly. He was beginning to test her patience. "You should've been in your own house getting ready for school, not in mine, trying to see what I'm up to!" Her breathing began to even out a little bit.

He suck in his breath sharply. "Well pardon me, for checking on my girlfriend, and seeing wether her dad will let her go to the dance or not!"

"Natsu, what my-" she stopped herself cold in her tracks. " _What did you just call me?"_

 _"Oh shit,"_ He muttered under his breath.

The argument that ensued between the two persisted on for a little too long, before either of them realized that the school was empty. The classrooms seemed haunted as they were vacant, pieces of loose-leaf paper were flying everywhere, the doors swung ajar, and all the chairs were missing. A sharpened pencil rolled off of someone's desk.

"What the hell... where is everybody?" She asked eyeing their own empty class.

"I forgot!" Natsu exclaimed suddenly, clipping his fingers.

"What?" She snapped.

"Today is Friday, the dance is tonight so Erza's probably gonna make some announcements. They're having a general assembly today. Let's go."

Lucy however stayed stock-still, as if her feet were rooted to that very spot. Her face was drenched in trepidation and she looked at Natsu with pleading eyes. She didn't wish to go, that part was obvious. She didn't desire to be in that place where it all started. She's experienced bad dreams- no nightmares, about the day it all started.

 _ **"Hoe!"**_

 _ **"Slut!"**_

 _ **"Bitch!"**_

Their remorseless unrelenting jeers resounded in her ears bringing forth deep buried emotions she thought she had gotten rid of. Especially after her mother died. Grief, sadness distress, she vowed to herself she'd never experience those feelings again. She'd never get too attached to something again. She'd always keep a distance - emotionally.

But when she transferred to Fairy Tail, everything changed. This was the school of her dreams, so already, she was fond of it. She wanted to fit in, to be loved, to be free. But when someone played that video of her in front of the entire school, everybody started treating her differently, her whole world turned topsy-turvy.

"Natsu _please_ don't make me go." She was pleading, practically crying at this point.

 _"Lucy..."_ Natsu got on his guard upon hearing the fear in her voice. In one sudden move, he roughly pulled her into a hug. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he said. "Because I'm here for you. I'll protect you with my very life, if I have to Lucy."

She gasped, tears brimming her eyes.

"I love you more than anything, Lucy."

Before she knew it, she had her hands wrapped around his body, wracking sobs her entire being.

 _Why am I crying?_ She thought. _It's not like I haven't heard him say that before... but for some reason, this time... I feel... different..._

She placed her hands over her ears to block out Natsu and his fruitless promises. He didn't understand. He couldn't. He wasn't the one who's been shamed in front of the entire school. Before she knew how it happened tears began brimming at her eyes again.

"Hey, hey, hey now," Natsu crouched down on his one knee to be eye level with her. "Remember how strong you are." He gave a half smile and held out his hand for her to take. After she timidly put her hand in his, the warmth of his body did much to help her get a hold of herself.

The two slowly stalked through the monumental assembly hall in search of their friends through the crowd of hundreds of students.

"...and the school can't be held responsible for any of your shenanigans anymore, so no Halloween pranks! Also..." Senior Mistress Porlyusica began to pontificate to the crowd. But she had good reason to, every year around Halloween time the students of Fairy Tail would collectively carry out some sort of grand prank on one of their rival schools. Last year, everyone had toilet paper-ed all of Lamina Scale. The year before that, they vandalized Blue Pegasus with graffiti and some wise guy left the Fairy Tail mark spray painted among all the other images ( _that_ wise guy was Natsu). It's cost Makarov, thousands of dollars to clean up their messes, and even a lawsuit was filed against the school. It's just one of the many reasons that Fairy Tail is labeled out of control.

Natsu and Lucy found their friends in a row of chairs in the third section to the far left. Mira caught sight of them first and waved them over. She gave a slightly perplexed look to Lucy in her attire, but casually waved it off.

Lucy looked up and revealed a little bit of her face from under Natsu's hoodie. Mirajane nearly had a heart attack upon witnessing the ghostly, haunted expression on the blonde's face.

"Don't look so scared sweetie," she smiled charmingly at her, trying to regain her composture. "I'm a friend."

"And now, for further announcements from a Student Council representative." Upon Porlyusica's remarks the students gave out a round of mandatory applause. However the student that stepped out on stage was not their fiery red-head student council president.

The girl who instead stepped out on stage, was Levy.

* * *

 **Meanwhile with Erza...**

The sole lighting in the empty room was nothing but a simple table lamp. With this table lamp, two figures hidden in the dark used it to illuminate the face of the convicted felon. The man sat at the table wordlessly, his head bowed deep.

"So that's it huh?" One of the officers cried. "You won't talk."

"NO!" Erza slammed her fists on the table causing the lamp to bounce. "Commander, leave him to me, I _will_ get him to talk!"

"No rookie. We've tried everything we can to get him to speak, but he hasn't made a single sound. Heck, I can't even tell if the man's breathing or not."

"Commander I can do this, if you just give me the chance to-"

"No, Scarlet!" He looked intimidatingly at her. "He'll just have to take all charges we give him and-"

They both stopped arguing when they heard a snicker in room that didn't come from either of them. They turned to see the man's head bowed, shoulders shaking violently with laughter. "You still haven't realized it, have you Scarlet?" He said.

Erza and the investigator shared looks and the Investigator left the room.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember me?"

He looked up, and she narrowed her eyes at his mischievously gleaming ones.

They stared down for a long minute until, the criminal in question broke out in a huge smile and saluted, with his hands still in bondage.

"Jet, from Team Shadow Gear, at your service!"

Erza's eyes widened in surprise and mortification. _"You!"_

 **XxXxxXXxx**

Once she was outside the investigation room, she covered her mouth with her hands. She remembered the day she, Natsu and Officer Julie Roberts saved Lucy and took down one of her offenders. She remembers thinking how familiar the boy with the orange hair had looked. Never would she have imagined the boy who attempted to rape her new friend was her old friend from childhood

Levy's old best friend.

"I can't believe it..." she trailed off.

"Erza." It was her commanding officer Julie Roberts. With her porcelain skin and short blonde hair shining in the dim hall light she leaned forward off the wall. Investigator Dean stood with his hands behind his back. "We heard everything." Chimed investigator Dean.

"I'm so sorry... how could I not recognize it sooner?" She wheezed. "And I'm supposed to be an officer...?"

"Erza I understand your shock." Her mentor whispered. "But you need to get a hold of yourself. For tonight." She did something most officers wouldn't do and embraced the teenager in a warm embrace.

"What's happening tonight?" She said not looking up.

"Your dance Scarlet. You are the Student Council President aren't you? It's your first and last dance as President. You should enjoy it."

With her head still bowed, Erza wiped the snot from her nose and tears from her eyes. "Yo-You're right." She said weakly. "I need to be strong."

"That's my girl." Officer Roberts said. "Besides, you need to be at your best for an important mission tonight."

"What is it?"

The creamy skinned woman whispered something in her ear. Erza nodded. "Alright, I understand." She said.

"Yes, make sure you keep a close eye on the victim. And a watchful eye on the suspects."

"Affirmative."

At this point, both women were strutting their way towards the exit of the police station. "I have so much faith in you Scarlet." Officer Roberts said. "You're like the daughter I never had."

"Thank you, that means so much to me."

"Don't worry about it. Hey, who do you have doing the announcements today anyway? Isn't that like your job or something?"

Erza smiled, putting her hands on her breasts. "Don't worry, I have someone very special doing it today." She looked at her mentor. "Just as you have faith in me, I have faith in this person."

* * *

Levy stuttered her greeting as she looked up at the crowd. There were scrutinizing stares, question marks and fervent whispers seen and heard throughout the entire crowd. Not very encouraging Levy wanted to say.

She looked down at her speech cards she'd been rehearsing ever since Erza told her the abrupt change in plans just last night.

Her skin crawled at the thought of speaking in front of a bunch of condemnatory adolescents, but she knew she had to do it for the sake of the greater good. Officially ending the annual Week of Screams was a presidential tradition, no an honor unlike any other. The fact that Levy could stand there in front of all these people was supposed to be a blessing. So, why did it feel like more of a curse?

Because of her fear, that's why.

Levy's absolute, mortal fear in life is, believably enough, public speaking.

That's why, when Lucy heard who was giving announcements, her ears perked up like a rat's nose to a cheese.

"Lucy?" Natsu asked. The undercover heiress ignored her date's voice and started craning her neck to get Levy's attention. _What was she doing?!_ Lucy thought.

Levy slackened her jaw to speak, but despite her best efforts nothing would come out. She looked like a fish, with her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. She stared at the crowd of teenagers and suddenly they morphed into a mosh pit of tall, towering demons all mocking her, teasing her. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to run, but her legs refused to move it's like they were frozen to the spot. Sweat started dripping off her face, her breaths became labored, it was like she was having an asthma attack and she's never had asthma before.

She was having an anxiety attack.

 _"Miss McGarden?"_ She could hear Ms. Porlyusica questioning her in the background but it was no use. She was done for. If she made it off this podium alive it would be a miracle.

 _Don't be scared when you're alone Levy._

A voice echoed in Levy's head.

 _I'll always be here._

It was Lucy's. It was a memory from one of their last sleepovers. Before they had stopped being friends.

 _Levy, let's make a best friend's pledge._

 _A pledge?_

 _You know, something to reassure us both that we'll always be there to love and care for each other. Let's go._

With tears pooling at the corners of her eyes, she unconsciously mouthed the words of the pledge.

 _I'll always be beside you,_

 _Until the very end,_

 _Wiping all your tears away,_

 _Being your best friend._

 _I'll smile when you smile,_

 _And feel all the pain you do,_

 _And if you cry a single tear,_

Levy's eyes unintentionally found Lucy's and Levy watched as Lucy mouthed the same pledge simultaneously, tears streaming down her cheeks.

 _I promise I'll cry too._

A single tear dropped down the blunette's cheek.

A few members of the audience stared at her in confusion, but she didnt even see it. All she saw was Lucy and everything else didnt exist. Slowly, she began speaking.

After Levy had finally said her speech, she immediately retreated to the nearest bathroom to recuperate. Lucy jumped to her feet, following after her. Natsu and Mira looked at each other mystified then looked back in the direction Lucy ran off to.

The girls bathroom door slammed open, Lucy finally coming face to face with Levy. All the courage and determination that had bubbled up inside her previously sapped away all at once. Levys cold hard glare pierced straight through Lucys soul staggering her will down.

It was the encounter that was fated to happen between them sooner or later.

Brown eyes met hazel ones as the former best friends engaged in the stare off of the century. After what seemed like an eternity and longer, Levy broke her icy gaze from Lucy and returned to washing her hands in the sink.

The water stopped and Levy began to walk out when Lucy raised her voice to speak.

"Umm, great job Levy."

And for a minute, a terrifying, horrifying, really scary minute, it seemed like Levy wouldnt stop walking.

But she did.

"Thanks." She said stoically, and proceeded to head out the door. When she exited the door she made no further moves to acknowledge Lucy's existence. Lucy almost burst into tears, on the spot. She had to say something. Her chance was slipping away, her opportunity was vanishing. She clenched her fists in anger, then released all that was within her.

 _"I never wanted us to stop being friends Levy!"_

There was another deadly silence. The wind howled between the two girls further straining the silence. Levy's body relaxed. Not turning around she answered. "I see." And she walked off.

 _"Why are you being so cold to me levy?! You bitch!"_ She screamed, stomping her foot and storming off.

When she had gone Levy stopped stone still. Her body trembled all over. The bookworm fell to her knees, staring at the sky with her nose dribbling, eyes swollen and wet. She began wiping her tears away.

 _"Thank you Lucy,"_ she whispered. "Saying that you still want to be my friend, that means so much to me!" And with that she fell with her face flat on the ground crying.

 **xxXXxx**

 _So Levy's finally gone soft on me huh?_ Lisanna thought wickedly to herself hiding within one of the bathroom stalls. _Interesting..._

As the female mastermind scrolled through her phone texts she passed a particular one from Gray.

 _'Meet me outside of class in the hallways during chemistry.'_

* * *

"So what is it Fullbuster?"

Gray leaned forward and smiled, hands in pockets.

"Explain to me the plan again... _Lizzy dear._ "

The bell chimed, signaling the start of lunch period. Students swelled out their classrooms in boat loads causing a sea to form in the hallway.

"Let's go someplace more private." She looked back behind to make sure no one was following, likewise Gray did the same. Somehow, as they walked they couldn't seem to stop until they hit the bleachers. Of their football field.

 _How nostalgic._ Gray thought. _It's the same football field that I started this alliance with Lisanna. If all goes well, it'll be the same field where it ends._

"So you want to know the plan?" Lisanna stopped short at a nearby tree leaning against it. Gray inhaled a little loudly. "Uh, why don't you have a seat here? ...future Mrs. Dragneel."

Lisanna giggled as she arose from her seat in front of the tree. Gray exhaled in relief. "You sure know how to flatter a girl. Maybe that's why Juvia fell for you." When she reached the bench Gray was, she leaned forward, putting her hands on his knees, staring at him seductively.

" _Maybe I should fall for you too?"_

Gray's body tensed. He knew if she decided that she liked him, she'd probably use the photo she had to blackmail him into dating her. The the white haired girl laughed.

"Don't be ridiculous Fullbuster. I could never fall for a guy like you. Besides, I have my husband Natsu. Well, at least until I get Lucy-ducey out of the way."

"What are you planning?"

"Well," she said with a genuine smile on her face seating herself next to him. The fact that Lisanna could sit there and talk about another girl's demise with such _happiness_ alarmed him. "At the Dance tonight I plan on flushing her into the ocean." She finished with a perk.

He furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at her demented grinning face. What was wrong with this girl?

" _What_?"

"You heard me. With your help, I'll get rid of her for good."

"... I see."

"What's wrong?" She bent over eyeing his distress. "You don't seem as excited as me." She noted cheerfully.

"No, no, I am. It's just, I've been sitting here trying to understand your magnificent mind. You really are a genius, you know that?"

"Oh stop it," she giggled.

"Yeah, I mean how you single-handedly ruined her reputation by playing that video during assembly? And then when you paid those three cheerleaders to jump her in the bathroom when she made comeback to school? Amazing!"

"I know right!" She stopped. "Wait... well I did pay the 'Jenny's' to beat her ass but I didn't do that first thing."

"You mean the video?"

"Yeah."

"Come on Lisanna," he said wrapping his arm around her shoulders. _"You don't have to lie..."_

 _"I'm serious!"_ She smiled pushing him off of herself. "But I'm glad it happened though..."

He rolled his eyes at that last part. Anyone with half a brain cell could see that.

He stared at her confused for a long time. "So if you didn't do it, who did?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, but if were to guess, I'd probably say Levy. The McGardens have really bad blood with the Heartfilias. But I don't know too much, so I can't tell you. Anyway, back to singing my praises!"

He couldn't understand what she was saying. _'Heartfilias? 'Bad blood?_ Obviously Lisanna had said something she wasn't supposed to.

He flinched at her voice again. "Of course! That leadership attitude is probably how you got Levy and Juvia to follow you. Correct?"

"Of course." She stood up and started modeling on the spot. "My beauty and intelligence attracted them to me, like moths to a flame. I have what they lack... well that, and the fact that I blackmailed them."

"Huh. Never would have guessed."

"And don't think I'm telling you what they did either. That's for me to know, and you to find out."

"Okay, but everything else you did?"

"Yup, after the video came out, I told everyone she's been lusting after Natsu for years prior to her meeting him. Made the whole school think she was a dirty slut. And it worked."

"..."

"Then, I made Levy send out that mass text, and I gathered some ruffians to play and fool around with her a bit."

Gray almost jumped out of his seat. "You don't mean..."

She simply smiled and sat down in her seat.

 _"You're more evil than I thought..."_ he said to himself.

"Yup," she stood up. "Let today be known as the day Lisanna Struass finally ended that blonde bitch!" She began cackling hysterically in the bleachers. Anybody who walked by would think she was crazy. "And once she's gone, your best friend, _is mine! Mine!"_

She continued cackling as she descended the steps and onto the field, making her way back to school. As soon as she was gone Gray relaxed his posture, running one hand through his jet black tresses and the other checking the time in his phone.

 _"What a nut job,"_ he whispered. When he was done, he stood up and stretched toward the golden sun. "But, her reign of terror is about to end today."

"Oi!" He walked over to the tree Lisanna was about to sit under and looked behind it. "Did you get all of that? _That_ was a perfect little introduction to what the _real_ Lisanna Struass is all about. I hope you were listening to it..."

As he approached the tree, all he could see was fist clenched, and shoulders shaking with rage and fury. When he could finally see the bloodshot eyes and bearing sharp teeth, he had almost wussed out and ran away. He felt the man's body temperature was soaring under his spiky pink locks.

"... _Natsu."_

 _"..."_

Natsu who looked like he was ready to murder somebody, said nothing.

"I'm sorry buddy..." Gray whispered.

* * *

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **A/n: I am so sorry for such a delayed update. I don't even know how much apologies I have to offer my readers to make up for it. But anyway, I'm back now and ready to go! Oh! And I don't think I told you guys merry Christmas! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Okay, now I'm off to update My Guardian Angel! Chow~**

 **Oh, and don't forget to review!**

 **Peace!**


	13. The Masquerading Pt1

**Hello beautiful people! How yall doing? Remember me? I know, I know, where have you _been_ NaluPrincess? Did you die? Did your fingers break? Have you given up on this story? Answer is; around, no, no and no. Now go, go on now. Read the story and then tell Princess what you think. :)**

* * *

 **The Masquerading Pt.1**

* * *

 _"Hey mom..."_

 _Okay, so you know I used to complain to you a lot?_

 _I'd come on camera, every other day just to complain to you about how I had 'the was the worst day ever'._

 _Well, today really **was** the worst day ever._

 _"Because, today I almost died."_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Okay, so maybe I didn't actually die (I'm a little hysterical) but that's only because I really did almost die._

"F _or the pettiest reason._ "

 _._

 _._

 _._

" _From the craziest bitch._ "

 _Well okay, so maybe tonight wasn't a total waste._

 _I did leave the masquerade with one good memory._

" _I think... you'll like him..._ "

 _Dammit_ _cheeks!_

 _Okay, so I'm not spoiling anything._

" _Let's start from the beginning._ "

* * *

"Oh Lucy," Her head cook, Mr. Carter cooed. "You look magnificent."

"I don't know," Lucy said, spinning around in a tornado of sheer and blue. _"Really?"_ She asked.

 _"Yes, Miss Lucy!"_ Her female staff practically screamed. "And do not think about taking it off either," Miss Sphetto, her head house maid chastised. Virgo, the blonde beauty's personal maid nodded her head in agreement. "Let me go get my camera."

Whilst Miss Sphetto went ahead to go get her camera, the whole staff was huddled together gushing over Lucy's appearance and congratulating each other on their hard work. Her father, as usual, was nowhere to be found.

Lucy took this time to look up at the beautiful portrait of her mother hanging up on the hallway. That infamous picture of Layla Heartfilia, adorned in that designer pink dress, hair tied in a bun and smiling so brightly she could outshine the sun.

Lucy always thought that if she were to ever go to a school dance, she would wear the dress her mother had in this portrait.

Lucy had always admired it, just like how she had always admired her mother.

When it came down to it, however, the mansion staff had other ideas and didn't want Lucy to wear the dress because they had pooled together their funds and bought her a different one. Ms. Sphetto, said she chose the color blue because that was the color of Cinderella's dress. To the staff of the mansion, Lucy was their real life Cinderella. Sure, she didn't have to work a day in her life around the house, but she still did (and boy, did she work hard). She still had to battle the coldness and the strictness of her father throughout all these years and still manage to keep a smile on her face.

The staff always thought that if the day would come where their Cinderella would go to the ball, they would be the ones to dress her up.

And so, Lucy gave up on her dream dress (for now), because she figured there were going to be lots of other opportunities to wear it.

But for right now, she was their real life Cinderella.

"Okay Miss Lucy!" Miss Sphetto cried waving an old bulky camera in her hand.

At her call the entirety of the mansion staff gathered around the lovely teenager and posed for the picture as Miss Sphetto started the timer.

"Everybody," Mr. Carter said. " _Smile_!"

 _Snap!_

* * *

"Okay," Erza said, as she elevated herself by standing on an empty crate in the middle of the school's main hallway. "Everyone!"

Excited chatter engulfed the tight group of friends.

" _Hello_?" The student Council president repeated. This was new. She wasn't accustomed to speaking and not being heard. Usually men, women and children alike, all scrambled like ants at the sound of her voice.

 _"You guys!_ " Levy screeched.

Immediately the talking ceased. With Natsu, Evergreen and Elfman standing near the front, they were the only ones seen giving Levy slacked-jaw expressions, but in reality the whole group was pretty surprised at the outburst of their normally more reserved friend.

"Thank you Levy," Erza croaked. "Now, as you all know, this is going to be my first _and_ my last year attending the masquerade as a student, and as Student Council President." Her friends smiled at her tenderly.

Natsu threw her his signature toothy grin and a big thumbs up.

"You'll do great," he said.

A bittersweet smile overtook her lips. "Guys, I just wanted you don't know how happy this makes me that I get to share this moment with all of you - the most important people in my life."

The vacant hallways of the Fairy Tail High School that soon-to-be eventful evening, burst out with a thunderous round of applause.

Erza smiled widely, not being able to contain the bout of happiness bubbling up in her chest. "I know I don't say this often," she continued, wiping away tears that threatened to spill. "But you guys really are like a family to me and.."

She couldn't even finish her sentence as she choked on her own emotion.

"You're such a mush Scarlet." Laxus declared bravely, smiling at his friend in endearment.

"But we love you all the same," Mira said, stepping forward and enveloping her bestie in a warm hug.

After a long minute, the whole group watched as the girls embraced each other happily, with smiles on their own faces.

"Okay everybody," Mira announced, dabbing away ears from the corner of her own eyes. "We've got to go."

 _"Ya think_?" Gray deadpanned and everyone laughed in response. Juvia, who was supposed to be his date, held on tightly to their interlocked arms and laughed.

As everybody made their way inside with their dates in tow, a black Lamborghini with orange stripes pulled up in front of the school's entrance, its engine purring like a cat getting massaged.

All of the other couples had already walked inside the gym with the exception of Mirajane and Erza, who were still in the hallway fixing Erza's makeup, Natsu, who was waiting on Cana to arrive with Lucy, and Lisanna, who was just pestering Natsu.

When the Lamborghini showed up, all the other students and parents who were by the front entrance stopped and stared, any teachers or students who were in classrooms for any reason or another, poked their heads out to awe and take pictures of the upscale mobile, its headlights shining directly at the schools entry.

There were murmurs and whispers being said everywhere.

Mira craned her neck sideways out the window of the hallway to get a peek at what all the commotion was about. She took one look at Lamborghini and poked her friend. "Hey Erza?"

"What?" She replied, already to the window trying to see through the orgy of students. She gasped, quickly taking off her dangling earrings and black strap-up heels.

"He's here."

But by the time Mira had said that, Erza had already started dashing down the hallway, her high heels in tow.

The security officer for Fairy Tail had already approached the vehicle and asked the Lamborghini driver to step outside.

When the man stepped out of the car, everyone gasped in unison.

He was by far the sexiest man they had seen in a long time.

Jellal is a young man whose most prominent features are his blue hair and a red tattoo above and under his right eye.

"Jellal!" Erza screamed, bursting out through the double doors of the school.

The former felon smiled wickedly at his girlfriend's entrance.

"Hey babe."

But she didn't hear it as she leaped into his open arms, her face becoming flushed with tears all over again.

"I can't believe you're here I thought you couldn't make it!"

"You know I'd do anything for you." He mumbled, muzzling his face in the crook of her neck and smelling that scarlet hair that he missed so much.

God he loved that hair.

"Aw how sweet." Lisanna cooed. "Good for her. Say Natsu, would _you_ ever do something like that for _me_ if we ever got separated?"

"No." He replied tersely, his mood darkening by the second.

"Ouch Natsu," Natsu purred, showing mock hurt. "That's so cruel. I mean, we've already gone past first base haven't we?"

He turned to look at her, giving her the most subtle death glare he could possible muster. He had half a mind to tell the witch off but only because of Gray's advice prior to, he kept his mouth clamped shut.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _"Where are you going?" Gray asked after a long moments wait on the football feild._

 _"Where do you think I'm going?" Natsu called back as he furiously began stomping away._

 _"Look, no Natsu you can't!"_

 _"And why can't I?" He lashed out. "All those terrible things, **she** was responsible for Gray! I can't believe Lisanna could ever do something like this, I trusted her!" Natsu brushed Gray's hand off of his shoulder. "I'm seething with rage Gray." He gave him a threatening glare. "If you know what's good for you, stay out of my way."_

 _The brunette sighed. Taking threats and not retaliating was so not like him (especially if the threat was coming from Natsu) but he understood where the pinkette was coming from right now._

 _"Look man, I know you probably think its a good idea to clobber that b*tch and give her a peice of your mind, trust me, I want to too. But you can't. She knows something about Lucy. Something. Plus, she's yet to tell me the rest of this extravagant plan she has for Lucy tonight."_

 _Natsu stopped walking. "Like what?"_

 _"That's the thing, I don't even know yet. And if you say or do something to upset her..."_

 _Natsu let his eyes wander to the ground and kept his gaze fixed there in frustration._

 _"Just listen to me. Play nice with her for now. At the moment she trusts me, though not completely, but I'm sure I could manipulate her into telling me what the rest of her plans are."_

 _Gray reached forward and placed his hands on Natsu's shoulder yet again._

 _"Alright?"_

* * *

Thankfully, he was saved from having to speak to her any further when a familiar gold Hummer came pulling into the yard drawing attention away from the reunited couple.

All eyes were on the jeep as the door to the driver's side opened up revealing the face of Lucy's personal chaffeur Capricorn. Capricorn stepped out of the vehicle and opened the backseat door to the left hand side, revealing a beautified Cana smiling and stepping out with Capricorn's help. Then, the goat-looking man walked to the other side of the vehicle (where Natsu and the others were facing) on the right and opened it to reveal the most beautiful teenage female on Earth.

Natsu felt his heart stop... then start skipping beats again.

Lucy was looking at him, smiling at his nervously because of his reaction.

She had on a slimming, turqouise blue dress, that had shimmering silver designs that were intricateley woven into the dress. There was a deep slit in the dress that started on her left thigh downwards revealing her perfect milk toned legs and her clear, see through stilettos, with her toenails painted a feiry red. Only the right arm the dress had a sleeve and it was a shimmery blue lace with intricate design that lead to her middle fonger and perfectly manicured, red polished nails.

She wore a little more make-up on her face than usual, but she still looked stunning.

She wore a soft silver shimmering eyeshadow, with a cat eye eyeliner and on her lips she wore strawberry red lipstick.

In her ears were diamond earrings and her hair was styled in an elegantly messy high bun.

Although this was pretty much needless to say, he couldn't wait to get his hands on her.

"Who said, you could come looking so beautiful tonight huh?"

She blushed looking at the ground. "You did."

 _"Hey!"_ Cana said, getting in the way of the pair's view for each other. _"I'm here too you know! And thanks for complimenting me on my dress Natsu, I really appreciate it!"_

"Huh?" The boy did a once-over at his older sister's milk white, skin tight minidress that showed off all her curves and with a bored expression trailed his eyes back to Lucy. "Oh, yeah, you look great Cana." He said disinterestedly and Lucy laughed.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever."

Nobody had even noticed when Lisanna walked away angrily or how Erza was eyeing the entire scene suspicously with her boyfriend from afar.

"C'mon you guys," Lucy said cheerfully, taking each of their hands into her own.

"Let's go dance!"

* * *

 _"I walked into that school that night completely obvlivious to the danger that Lisanna set before me._

 _Kids, if you learn any sort of lesson from this..._

 _It's that you never underestimate a bitch."_

* * *

 **Okay so part 1 I feel is a little lame, but I decided to bring the video diaries back since Lu-chan hasn't recorded on in a really long time! Yay!**

 _ **Speaking**_ **of really long time, I know half of you are ready to chew my face off for making you wait for a chapter for so long. *SIghs* It's been one hell of a year for me. Anyway, please tell me what you think (I know the chapter's a little short, sorry everyone) but pLeAse review it for me guys!**

 **Much Love!**


	14. Author's Note

**Hello beautiful people!**

 **Firstly, I'd just like to clarify that this is not a chapter update (sorry for disappointing you all). I don't usually do things like this, but I needed to post this Author's Note just to clarify a few things (like is anybody still interested in this story anymore lol).**

 **1) I haven't forgotten this story, or abandoned it, discontinued it etc. It's just that since the last time I posted, which was back in August, I have since returned to school and entered my senior year of high school. I feel like I have an obligation to tell you this because, 12th grade has been extremely stressful for me ( I'm sure anyone who's already graduated can relate). Between constant fast approaching deadlines, to mountains of homework, applying for colleges and trying to get accepted and still finish the school year with a good g.p.a, my plate has been full. More than full, in fact sometimes I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew.**

 **I was meaning to post some sort of Christmas special in December, or New Years author's note in January, but as you can see, I didn't get a chance too. (SHAMELESS SELF PLUG: I already have a Christmas themed one-shot up on my page, it's called "The Video's Christmas Special: Chocolate Cake". If you're craving more of this story and haven't checked it out yet I suggest you do. I personally think its r _eally_ good and even if you don't celebrate Christmas it has lots of nalu fluff in it. Enjoy :-)!)**

 **Anyways as you can see, since then I haven't been able to update. That's not saying that I've dropped the story or lost interest (not yet anyway) because I definitely haven't. This is my most popular story, and I'm sure I still have lots of fellow FanFiction members who are waiting for it to finish, which brings me to my second point.**

 **2) Should I even continue this story?**

 **a)I know that lots of readers had a fleeting interest in my premise, but my inconsistent and sporadic update schedule, or just the way the story played out (maybe something else too) turned them off. The point is, people lost interest and I am to blame for that. My logic is, if the audience has lost interest and I'm too busy to write chapters then why push myself to make one, you know? I'm not saying writing chapters was a burden, it's not especially since it was my favorite past time. I'm just saying: life has been really hectic for me.**

 **I know that this has always been my excuse in the past, but this time I mean it. I've never been as busy as in my life as I am right now.**

 **b)i) Since the first time I've posted this story in the past, up to now, there's been a significant change in me. And if I do decide to continue this story in the future, I'll continue to change as well. It's just in human nature. However, I've noticed, (as I'm sure a few of you have noticed) it has affected my writing style as well. I won't be able to write the same way I did back in the earlier chapters, so if you came for that reason, I'm sorry to disappoint you. From chapters 9 onwards is personally where I've felt the beginning of change. My point here is, is there anyone who's going to want to read a story in different writing styles?**

 **I was looking over my older chapters the other day and cringed at a lot of stuff. I had half a mind to revise a lot of the other chapter so that they can reflect the state that I'm in now, but I opted not too. I consider this story as a part of early adolescent life and it kind of grew up with me (if that made sense).**

 **I'm rather pleased with the way I write now, but I definitely like the way I wrote in the past too.**

 **b) ii) Speaking of personal changes, my ideas on continuing the plot get a little foggy as well. If you're caught up to where the story is no you'd know, (or can just sense) we're nearing the end. We are. And I know for sure who the big villain is going to be, but bridging that gap from the latest chapter to the ending is where things get difficult for me. (I was also thinking of an arc after this one, one that went more in depth with Natsu's lifestyle and back story, but I'm having problems finishing THIS part of the story, that's more solely focused on Lucy, so go-figure). Like I said, I do have some idea on how to do it, but I'm still a bit lost. If you believe you have some ideas you'd like to share, you are more than welcome to P.M them to me. Every bit of help is seriously appreciated.**

 **But yeah, when I do have a bit of free time and try to come back to this story, bridging the rest of the gaps between the ending and where I left off is a big problem for me (this is what happens when you write a multi-chapter like this without a plan. That's why M.G.A is going to be nothing but planning LOL).**

 **Oh and side note: if I do continue this story, and we do reach 350 followers before the story ends, ya'll won't get that follower special until after the main story is over XD.**

 **Another side note: I really enjoyed doing the follower specials, I felt that's what in part, gave "The Video" it's identity. One things for sure, if I continue this story and I go on for another arc, you'll definitely be seeing more follower specials from me in the future. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.**

 **Right before I wrap up, I just to scream in excitement (AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!) to everyone who's helped make "The Video" so wildly popular (at least in my eyes). Analytics show that this story has over 84 (almost 85)** _THOUSAND_ **readers to chapters of this story in total. Over 84 thousand? Are you** _SERIOUS?!_

 **Never, in my WILDEST DREAMS would I even DARE to imagine that this story would come close to receiving that much traffic!**

 **The first chapter alone has over 16,000 readers and the second chapter has over 10,000. The rest of the chapters have more or less 5,000 readers a piece. Some with 6,000 and some with 4,000.**

 **Regardless this is such a milestone for me personally, and I'm glad the Nalu fandom is still alive and kicking, despite the Fairy Tail manga ending.**

 **I am so grateful to everyone and most importantly thank the few who stuck around.**

 **To conclude, the main reason why I haven't been updating is school. In a nutshell. And if I do decide to start this up again (there's a better chance I will than won't)** **, you'll be getting more updates from me in the summer, for this story and My Guardian Angel, but for now, since I'm still in the middle of my last and most important school term, you can't get anything from me before then (sorry).**

 **I know a few of you aren't going to read this just for the mere fact that this is an author's note, but I just want to say a sincere "thank you", to the loyal, or maybe just curious few, who did.**

 **In the meantime, you can P.M me on reasons (only if you want to or feel strongly about this) why I shouldn't, or should continue with this story.**

 **Until next time.**

 **Oh yeah, and if or when I do decide to update this story, I'll delete this A/N chapter and replace it with actual story content.**

 **Ciao, beautiful people!**

* * *

Edit: I am definitely continuing this story, but I'm going to be on hiatus until summer. When summer comes, you'll get a steady updates of chapters from this story. PROMISE.

* * *

 **So NOW I can say ciao beautiful people.**


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